And Then One Day
by Katarina Sparrow 19
Summary: My second Fanfic ever! It's a very different twist on the traditional Dramione Story. Draco and Hermione, 4th year at Hogwars, what would happen if things had been different that year? I suck a summaries plz read anyway! Also reviews are appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

Diagon Alley

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or (drooling) the dangerously hot and extremely sexy Tom Felton.

Author's Note: Alrighty folks this is my (drumroll please) second fanfic ever and my first of the Harry Potter let alone Dramione nature. In the books, I'm a Ron/Hermione shipper but lately I've been watching you tube videos and such and Dramione looks so hot together I just had to try my own hand at it. I've read some pretty bad ones, I'm talking make you want to throw up bad ones. So I hope you like it please Read and Review. I'll even except flames. So umm...here you go.

"You guys want to drop in Gringotts with me for a minute?," asked Harry to his two best friends Ron and Hermione. Ron and Hermione looked at each other and shrugged. They followed Harry slowly into the bank. As they walked in Hermione bumped into someone.

"Oh I'm terribly-" Hermione stopped her self when she realized the person she was talking to was Draco Malfoy.

"Watch where you're walking Granger."

"Sorry," she muttered as she rushed out to catch up with Ron and Hermione.

"Was that the mudblood Granger girl?," questioned Draco's father.

"Unfortunately."

"What were you doing talking to Malfoy?," asked Ron.

"Thought he was someone worth apologizing to," scoffed Hermione. They looked at her strangely but she wouldn't say anything else. Harry took his turn in line and a goblin lead them to a cart. It came to a screeching halt in front of Harry's vault. The goblin opened it and Ron's jaw hit the floor.

"Blimey Harry, I think I could fit three of my house in here!"

"Oh stop exaggerating Ron. It's lovely Harry," said Hermione looking around.

"Yeah lovely," Ron grumbled. Harry shifted uncomfortably and went in to get his gold.

"Stop it Ronald, you're making him feel bloody awful!"

"He should."

"Ahem," said Harry awkwardly.

"Sorry mate," said Ron as they headed back towards the car.

Hermione blinked rapidly as they entered the world outside the dark bank. The sun was shining down on them and she had to squint to see straight.

"I promised a friend I would meet up with her in Madame Malkin's Robes so I'll see you later."

"See you," they both said walking away. Over her shoulder she could here Ron's jealous prods.

"Seriously mate, where'd you get all that gold?"

"My parents," responded Harry begrudgingly.

"Oh he can be so inconsiderate sometimes!," said Hermione to nobody in particular. She wandered down the street until she came upon the Robe shop and entered. It was much to her misfortune that she saw Draco Malfoy looking around.

Author's Note: O.k. I know that was unbelievably short and I do apoligize for it, ummm...like I said pleaze review! There will be more, longer, chapters very soon I swear! Love always

**-****Katarina Sparrow 19**


	2. What are You Doing Here?

What are you doing here?

Disclaimer: Part of this was inspired by another fanfic, thanks to them and all rights to their fic, I think it's hilarious! I don't own Harry Potter, that's J.K.'s territory, I don't own Tom Felton and that just sucks.

Author's Note: O.k., so umm...not much to say here's the next chapter please review.

_Oh great of all the people to run into and I have to see him twice in one day_, thought Hermione as she ducked behind a rack of robes. _Please don't let him see m_e, thought Hermione as she casually flipped through some robes.

"Looky who we got here, if it isn't Grumbly, Grody, Gross, Granger!"

"Shut up!"

"No," he sneered. She turned to face him head on.

"I said shut up Malfoy!," she had a dangerous threat in her tone. Malfoy tilted his head as his eyes locked on hers. _Wow, I can't believe I've never noticed the color of her eyes before! _"What are you staring at?!"

"Nothing," he said regaining his composure. She was Granger, that was it, some sniveling mudblood clearly below him. _Yeah that's it_, he thought, _let's go with that_. "Just stay out of my way mudblood!"

"Fine, you're the one that came over here and ruined my day by making me look at your face!" He got a look that was a mixture of being put-off and being slightly pleased.

"I didn't make you look at anything."

"It's common courtesy to look at someone when they're talking to you, something you know nothing about," she selected a robe and went to the dressing room. Anything to get out of that conversation. _What was he staring at_? Hermione heard panicked footsteps and somebody dove into her room as she began to unzip her hoodie. "HEY!," she said quickly re-zipping it and turning around. "THIS ROOM'S OCCUPIED!" Hermione was originally put-off but then she was outraged to see Draco Malfoy on the floor in her dressing room. "MALFOY! What the in the name of Merlin's Beard are you-" That was all the more she got out because he was off the floor and had a hand over her mouth.

"Shhh," he hissed. Slowly he let his hand off her mouth only to hear her start screaming again.

"DRACO! I swear you better-" he again had his hand on her mouth. "mmfmm ffmm mmm," different pitched grunts continued as she still tried to get her point across.

"Please," he begged "I'll get out in a minute just please be quiet." Ordinarily Hermione wouldn't have trusted him and would have personally shoved him out but something in his eyes told her differently. They were silently pleading with her to keep quiet, and plagued by some unnatural fear. She nodded and he let her go and climbed on top of the bench in the corner. Heavy footsteps entered the dressing room followed by lighter ones. Draco's steely grey eyes got wide and Hermione looked at him strangely.

"He's not in here Cissy," came the unmistakable voice of Draco's father.

"Well we'll just have to keep looking-wait there's somebody in this one." A light knocking came on Hermione's door. She looked to Draco who was pleading with his eyes for her to cover for him. She rolled her eyes at him and turned towards the door.

"Someon's in here," she said in a higher pitched but not completely fake voice.

"Terribly sorry," Narcissa said. "Come on Lucious let's go check the Leaky Cauldron maybe he's gone for a butter beer." The footsteps exited and Draco breathed a huge sigh of relief. _He owes me big_, thought Hermione.

"They're gone, I lied for you, now GET OUT!"

"Alright keep your lid on!" He jumped off the bench and started to walk out, he stopped in the doorway. "Hey Granger."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks," he mumbled without turning around. He sped out the door and Hermione shut it and tried on her robe. _Wow, it's not like him to say thank you. Although I must say I deserved it. So go figure Malfoy knows words other than insults. _She smiled to herself as she admired the robe in the mirror.

Author's Note: Well there you go hope you like it. Please review. Thanks.

-Katarina Sparrow 19


	3. Meet Arabella Cathleen

Meet Arabella Cathleen

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, that's J.K.'s amazing idea. I don't own Tom Felton, that was God's amazing idea.

Author's Note: This is still a work in progress and I hope you all like it. As always R&R!

Draco stormed out of the dressing room with his cheeks burning. That had been sickening, embarrassing and as much as he hated to admit it slightly enjoyable. He went outside the shop when he heard his mother's voice.

"Draco!" He cringed. _Dang,_ he thought.

"Yes mother?," he said turning around.

"There you are your father and I have been looking everywhere for you. Why did you run off like that?"

"I...uh...well...," he said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, never mind. Come along then there's someone I want you to meet." He somewhat reluctantly followed his mother into another shop. There were only two other people inside. A tall auburn haired woman. And...what could possibly have been _the_ hottest girl he'd ever seen. She had beautiful silky blond hair cascading down her back. Her ice blue eyes were wide and staring at him and she was smiling at him through pink glossed lips that contained perfect teeth. "Hi, Joanna. Sorry I'm so late, Draco ran off and-"

"Oh not at all Narcissa." Her eyes turned to Draco and she flipped her red locks out of her face. "Is that your little Draco?!"

"Yes."

"He's grown so!"

"Him! Look at your Bell!"

"Oh don't call her Bell she likes to be called Arabella now." Both the children shifted uncomfortably at being talked about like they weren't there.

"Draco this-" said Narcissa pointing to the blond haired girl "is Arabella Cathleen Rachelle." _Beautiful name for a beautiful girl_, thought Draco.

"Draco Malfoy," said Draco offering his hand.

"Arabella Cathleen." She smiled and gave Draco's hand a shake.

"Well wouldn't we all love to go get some lunch?," asked Joanna.

"You know lunch sounds lovely," said Narcissa. The parents walked ahead and Draco and Arabella stayed behind conversing.

"So I've never seen you at Hogwarts before," said Draco.

"Oh I've been studying abroad." Draco could tell she had an accent, but it was a very lovely one. "I'm starting at Hogwarts this year actually. Mother had to do some negotiations with the headmaster. Your father was most helpful."

"Well that's father for you, always helpful." Hermione walked out of the robe shop and saw Draco walking across the street with some girl. She looked pretty enough to be part vila. They were going into a resturaunt and, before she could decide what was happening, she was following them in. Hermione seated herself behind Draco's booth and listened to the conversation. _What am I doing?!_, she thought. _It's Malfoy, DRACO MALFOY! Why do I care who he's with and who he's talking to? _Still she stayed and she listened.

"Oh Draco, you slay me," giggled the girl. _Hurl!_, thought Hermione.

"It's a true story. I swear he's so ridiculous!"

"I've heard about this Harry Potter but I never thought him to be that stupid!" She was giggling excessively and it was getting annoying.

"Well I know him on a very personal level and trust me he's that stupid and then some!" _Hurl_, thought Hermione again. _You've got to be absolutely kidding me, this was a waist of time._ She started to get up but Arabella's next comment stopped her.

"And tell me again about this Granger girl."

"Well where do you want me to start? She's a total bookworm with bushy hair and buck teeth and a mudblood no less!" _But a mudblood with incredible eyes that saved my life_, he thought silently. Hermione felt tears stinging her eyes, she had no idea why. She'd taken Draco's crap for years why now did it hurt so bad.

"Now tell me again about-" Hermione didn't stick around to hear the rest she tore out of the shop and went to find Harry and Ron.

Author's Note: O.k. Once again a short chapter, sorry. Hope you liked it. And incase you're wondering this will be a Dramione fic. As promised. Arabella is just making an interesting love triangle. I'd just like to point out that if, in the books, Draco had liked Hermione it would have bared a shocking resemblance to Lily Potter's story. Think about it both girls were muggle born had a slytherin like them but both slytherins slipped up and they fell in love with a Gryffindor. Just saying. As always please review.


	4. Hello Granger

Hello Granger

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, to that I accredit J.K., I don't own Tom Felton and that is truly a depressing thing.

Author's Note: Sorry about the absence, I was busy trying to get a real book published, but now I'm waiting to hear from the publishing company so I have plenty of time.

Hermione pulled out her laptop and began to search aimlessly on the Internet. Harry and Ron were both snoring and honestly looked quite adorable. They were laying, Harry's head against the window, Ron's head against his shoulder. Ron was drooling a bit. An IM popped up on her computer, it was from Ginny. Ginny had gotten a laptop for Christmas from her father last year. However Hermione thought that he had only bought it for Ginny so he could experiment on it...she had been right.

GinGin15: Wuz up Hermione?!

Herms24: Not much, you?

GinGin15: Dunno, but you'll never guess who I got stuck in a compartment with?!

Herms24: Who?

GinGin15: DRACO AND HIS FRIENDS!

Herms24: OMG you poor thing! You can come into our compartment if you want.

GinGin15: Hello Granger!

Herms24: Ginny?

GinGin15: Ginny's a little busy at the moment can I take a message?

Herms24: ...Draco?

GinGin15: Surprise!

GinGin15: (sneers like only I can.)

Herms24: what did you do to Ginny?!

GinGin15: Oh nothing

Hermione rolled her eyes and signed off line. She stormed furiously down the hall to where She could see a wave of Slytherin. Ginny was lying fast asleep against the window.

"Draco what did you do to her?!"

"Relax Granger...I hexed her she'll wake up in a few minutes and-"

"What?," she asked fuming.

"When did you start calling me Draco?" Hermione felt a flush rise to her cheeks, she wasn't sure if it was because she was embarrassed or angry, or both.

"I don't know!" The train took a huge lurch, Hermione felt something hit her head. Her world went black.

When her eyes adjusted to the world around her she saw a face half covered by platinum blond hair just inches from hers.

"How are you feeling?," Draco asked. Hermione groaned and slowly sat up clutching her temple.

"What happened?"

"Somethings wrong with the train, they assigned two to a compartment for safety purposes and guess who I got stuck with?," he sneered.

"You can't be serious?!," She groaned.

"I am," he said bluntly. "Oh, here," he said handing her her laptop.

"How did you get this?," she asked.

"The conductor brought it in, said it was all alone on a seat," he made a pouty face.

"Well at least I won't have to talk to you!," she said turning it on. It flashed the words "low battery" across the screen. She sighed and turned it off. Draco smirked at her frustration.

"What was it you wanted to talk about Granger?" She rolled her eyes and looked out the window. Draco admired her as he sat there absentmindedly. She had grown a bit over the summer, her robes were more fitted, her hair was less frizzy, and those eyes..._Come on Draco snap out of it! _He ordered himself. "Is that the uh...the robe you were trying on that day in the shop?" She looked at him with a strange mixture of embarrassment and joy on her face. He hadn't said anything about that moment in the dressing room until now.

"Yes, as a matter of fact it is."

"Looks nice." As if on cue the train came to another lurching halt as she stared at him dumbfounded. _Did Draco Malfoy, king of insults! Just give me a...a compliment? _"Hello," he said snapping his fingers in her face. "Earth to Granger!"

"Th...thank you," she said. _Maybe this year wouldn't be so bad after all, _she thought.

"Yeah whatever," he snapped. _Then again..._

Sorry about the short chapter, again. And remember to please review, thanks to all my reviewers already!


	5. It could be Hours

It could be Hours...

They sat in silence for a while, not really bothering to do anything but stare out the window. Hermione yawned slightly and began humming _Pretty Girl_ to herself. Suddenly Draco perked up a bit and began to sing.

Pretty Girl is offering while he confesses everything...

He trailed off towards the end. Hermione smiled, she had no idea why but for some reason she wanted to hear him sing more so she picked up where he had left off.

Pretty soon she'll figure out what his intentions were about.

Now they both looked at each other and completely without music, they both burst out into a song they both obviously knew way too well.

And that's what you get for falling again you can never get him out of your head.

And that's what you get for falling again you can never get him out of your head!

It's the way that he makes you feel..._Hermione smiled as she sang a mini solo._

It's the way, that he kisses you..._Kissing her, not a bad idea Malfoy_

It's the way that he makes you fall in love...

They finished in a sweet harmony and burst into giggles at the fact that they both knew a song. Suddenly at the exact same time they both seemed to realize they were joking around with their sworn enemy and the laughter died almost instantly.

"I didn't know you could sing Granger," Draco said turning his head out the window.

"I didn't know you could sing," she replied dreamily. He looked over at her, was it at all possible he was feeling anything but hate towards the mud blood Granger? "How long are we supposed to be stuck in here?," she asked as the train slowly started up again.

"Could be hours," Draco said airily. Hermione's faced flushed, _hours, _she thought _I could be stuck in here with him for hours._ The worst part about these thoughts was she wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Don't get your knickers in a knot Granger, they said it should only be twenty more minutes." Hermione, for reasons she couldn't quite grasp, actually sighed in disappointment when he said that. _Knickers, _Draco thought with a small smirk _I wonder what color skivvies she's wearing. _

"What are you staring at?!," she snapped angrily.

"You Granger."

"Me? Why the bloody hell are you staring at me?" He shrugged and turned his attention out the window. "Wait," she asked horrified. "Are we aloud to leave the compartment?," she said now noticing Draco wasn't in his school robes.

"No...why?" Suddenly it occurred to him and his face twisted up. "Oh God," he said. They were both thinking the same thing, it was automatic detention to show up without your robes on. It was automatic detention to leave the compartment.

"Uh..." Hermione said awkwardly. Her face was flaming red.

"Look, this isn't rocket science. We're both fourth years for God's sakes, I think we can be mature about this."

"Uh...right, I'll just..." She lay down on the seat and buried her face in the red plush cushions. It was barely a few seconds later when she heard Draco say.

"Alright Granger, you can look." Hermione sat up and was pretty sure she lost all pulse. Malfoy was only dressed from the waist down. _Wow! Who knew Malfoy was hiding _that _under his robes_, she thought as she examined his six pack. Her pulse was quick to return as he pulled on his uniform shirt. "What's your problem?," he asked buttoning up the shirt.

"Just...nothing." He smirked quietly to himself.

"Overwhelmed are we?"

"No," she snapped with a sneer. But inside her head she was thinking _yes, yes, good God YES!!!_

Okay, kind of short I know but I still hope you enjoyed. Thanks to all my loyal reviewers, keep it up! LOL.

Katarina Sparrow 19


	6. TriWizard Tournament

Tri-Wizard Tournament

Disclaimer: You know the drill, don't own Harry Potter that was J.K. Rowling's baby...and God bless her for it. Don't own Tom Felton...he was his mother's baby...AND GOD BLESS HER FOR IT!

Author's Note: Hey, you know the drill and sorry about the absence, my laptop broke down. Also I posted a cute little Dramione oneshot on here so please check it out. It's titled Chess Club. So on with the story.

The great hall looked different than it had in previous years. For one thing the tables were longer and for another, there was a large golden object by the podium where Dumbledore gave his beginning of the year speech. She found Ron and Harry sitting at the Gryffindor table by Nevil and Ginny.

"Hi guys," she said as she swept her robe out elegantly behind her and sat next to Ron with a pretty smile. She could still feel her face burning red from that incident on the train.

"What's up with you?," Ron asked as he noticed the rosy color in her cheeks.

"Nothing." She smiled at him and then at Harry "You two look well rested."

"Oh shut up Hermione," Harry said laughing.

"So who'd you get stuck with when the train broke down?," Ron asked curiously. She rolled her eyes and took a sideways glance at the Slytherin table. She was about to give her reply when she noticed something else that was odd, a new student. She had beautiful silvery blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and was talking with a bubbly smile to...Malfoy. Hermione stared in disbelief, it was the girl from the Cafe'. "Earth to Hermione!," Ron said snapping his fingers in front of her face "So who'd you get stuck with?," he asked.

"Malfoy," she said with an annoyed tone. Ron looked like he was about to say something, most likely about the blush she could feel burning her face, when Professor Dumbledore called for silence. After the sorting ceremony, which included a little girl named Natalie McDonald being sorted into the Gryffindor house, Professor Dumbledore called once again for silence and approached the podium with grave excitement in his face.

"This year," he said in his kind, gravely voice "Hogwarts will be not only your home but home to some others as well. For Hogwarts has been asked to host...the Tri-wizard tournament." Murmurs erupted through the great hall and spread like a wave on the ocean. "Yes, yes, please settle down." Slowly the whispers died away as he continued. "Now as I was saying Hogwarts will host the tournament and as doing so we will also be hosting two schools. So, without further adu, let me please introduce the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons academy and their headmistress, Madame Maxime!" Everyone clapped and looked towards the entrance of the great hall. They burst open with beautiful elegance.

In stepped several beautiful young ladies in gorgeous blue silk robes. All the boys went into instant drool mode as they entered the hall. The would run a few steps with all the elegance in the world, then they would stop and sigh, or blow a kiss to a boy near by. Ron nearly fell off his chair as one of them blew a kiss just inches from his face.

"Oh honestly Ronald!," Hermione snapped. Still she shot a look out of the corner of her eye at Draco, he was still talking to that girl. After the ladies of Beauxbatons had taken their seats, Dumbledore stepped back up to the podium.

"Now may I please introduce, the proud sons of Durmstrang and their high master, Igor Kakaroff!" This time nobody had time to turn when the doors burst open explosively. In stepped strong, dependent young men. They had fixed jaw-lines and very noble brows with intent gaze. This time it was every girl in the room that went into instant swoon mode. Even Hermione could feel herself blushing as one particularly cute young man smiled at her.

"Blimey it's him!," Ron squeaked as the one who had smiled at her past "it's Victor Krum."

"Thank you," Dumbledore continued after they had all taken their seats. "It is a pleasure and an honor to have you all here. Now, let's get to the real business, shall we?" He moved his wand towards the gold object and it melted away. It revealed a stone goblet with wispy blue flames shooting from the top. "The goblet of fire," he said mystically "one champion will be chosen from each school to compete. All anybody has to do is simply write their name on a piece of parchment and place it in the goblet before midnight, this Friday evening. However please be warned, this is not a thing for the faint hearted. But...if you succeed then the prize is eternal glory," he said smiling.

"Eternal glory," Harry whispered.

"Can you imagine?," Ron asked in awe.

"Well now that that is settled, let the feast...begin!," Dumbledore said.

"Eternal glory!," Ginny cooed.

"I think we ought to try our hand at this Harry," Ron said smiling.

"One of us is bound to get in!," Harry smiled. Hermione didn't say anything she was too busy shooting dirty looks at Draco, and a one Miss Arabella Cathleen, draped over his arm.

Author's Note: Well there you have it. As always please review and I hope you liked it.


	7. PBSHSW

Platinum Blond Slytherin Hottie Say What?!

Disclaimer: Shocker of the year, I don't own Harry Potter that's J.K.'s creation. No, I'm sorry there is a bigger shocker of the year, I don't own Tom Felton, but oh, how I wish I did!

A/N: Well I'm really sorry about my absence and I'm not gonna waste your time apologizing forever so on with the story.

Arabella giggled as she lay out over the couch in the Slytherin Common room. Draco was sitting on one end with Arabella's head resting on his shoulder. She was giggling and sipping lightly on pumpkin juice as she, Draco, and all of his friends, talked lightly.

"I've got an idea," Pansy said from her seat by Crabbe's feet. He was sitting in the chair across from Draco. Goyle was in the chair to his left and Millicent Bulstrode was sitting on the arm of his chair. Blaise Zabini was sitting on the arm of the couch by Arabella's feet and she kept shrieking and batting his hand away as he tried to massage her feet and legs.

"Oh stop it Zabini," she giggled. "What is it Pansy?," Arabella said as she turned to face Pansy.

"Truth or Dare," Pansy squealed.

"What?," Arabella said raising her eyebrows. She was a very sophisticated young lady, pureblood raised. Arabella was one who knew how to mold people to her wants and needs and right now what she wanted was the boy she was resting her head on. A one Mr. Draco Malfoy. So, she saw a game of truth or dare, however lame she thought it to be, would be the perfect opportunity to find out what she wanted to know.

"Careful Pans," Blaise said smartly "your muggle is showing," he said raising his eyebrows. Arabella raised her eyebrows at Malfoy and waited for an explanation.

"Ah," Draco said slowly. "Well you see our Pansy here was forced to say with her mother's muggle sister for a week in the summer. She picked up a couple of their games."

"And you've never let me live it down," Pansy pointed out.

"Alright so let's play," Arabella said.

"I'll start," Pansy exclaimed. "Draco, truth or dare?" Draco gave her his famous slytherin sneer and smiled down at Arabella's blond head.

"Dare!"

"Can I pick it," Arabella asked. Everyone turned to her and Draco raised his eyebrows. Pansy shrugged it off and took a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"Draco, I dare you to take nothing but truths for the rest of the game." The room went dead silence and Arabella gave a sneer that was almost Draco worthy.

"Fine," he said smugly. After a few more dares Arabella had turned back on Draco.

"Well I'd ask if you want truth or dare, but you don't get a choice," she smirked. "So," she smiled snuggling up to them. "If you knew they would say yes, who would you ask to be your girlfriend?"

"Hold up," Millicent said smirking. "Look what I've got," she said in a sing song voice. She pulled out a vile and and started shaking it tauntingly. "Truth serum," she sneered.

"How'd you get that?!," Draco cried alarmed. She just smirked and walked over to Draco.

"Open up," she demanded. After he swallowed the whole vile Millicent sat down once again.

"Now," Arabella said hopefully "answer the question." She and Pansy both looked at him with puppy dog eyes, Millicent was only slightly interested. He muttered something nearly inaudible and Arabella looked up. "What was that?," she asked cupping a hand to her ear.

"Granger," he said a bit louder. It wasn't by much but it was enough that they heard it. Pansy dropped her glass and Arabella sat bolt upright.

"Platinum Blond Slytherin Hottie Say What?!"

A/N: Cliffhanger again. More soon I swear.


	8. The Dark Mark

The Dark Mark

Disclaimer: I don't own Tom Felton, but oh, if he ever went up for auction...drool...OH! Uh, didn't see you reading there. Of course I don't own Harry Potter...

A/N: Well here's a relatively short update, still, it's an update right.

"Draco! Draco will you slow down!," Arabella shrieked down the hall after him. He kept moving at his usual pace and ignoring her. After it had come spilling out Malfoy had leaped up and gone storming down the hall. Pansy and the others had been too shocked to move but not Arabella. She had moved almost faster than he had. She tossed her blond hair and moved faster to try and catch up with him. "DRACO!!," she shrieked. He stopped and rounded smartly on his heels. In fact he moved so fast that Arabella nearly ran him over.

"What?!," he said with desperately clenched teeth. He still couldn't believe what had come out of his mouth. Now, he had to try to explain it to this psycho path blond who he had tried to prevent himself from meeting. It wasn't that Arabella wasn't a girl he wanted to spend time with, but despite her class she was underhanded and quite honestly scary.

"What do you mean what?!," she demanded through gritted teeth. "Need I remind that empty head of yours what you just said back there?," she asked with raised eyebrows.

"Look, I don't think it's any of your business!," he snapped.

"The mudblood?!," she demanded. "How could you like her?!"

"Don't!," he snapped before calming himself to look her in the eye "call her a mudblood." She looked alarmed at the severity in his voice. But it wore off quickly and her own voice iced over.

"And don't you blow me off like this!" She lurched forward and grabbed his arm where a tattoo currently was. Arabella lowered her voice to a tone graver than Malfoy had responded to her. "Don't make me remind you again what the dark lord has set forth for us to do," she hissed. Her eyes flashed the deepest scarlet and Draco hissed in pain as his tattoo of the dark mark pulsed. Arabella's own tattoo jetted forward in her wrist as if the dark lord himself were touching it. "Feelings," she said gravely as she looked him square in the eyes "are irrelevant at this point," she finished. Arabella released his arm and turned to go back to the common room before she felt his hand gripping her arm.

"And don't you," he said darkly "go anywhere near Granger." She glared at him and yanked her arm out of his hands viciously.

"I'll behave if she will," Arabella snarled. With that she turned and went stalking back to the common room, her wrist pulsing in pain.

A/N: Okay so there it is, sorry about the cliffhanger. It only gets better from here.


	9. Victor Krum

Victor Krum

Disclaimer: I'm going to stop beating around the bush and just say what I mean already. TOM FELTON'S FRIECKING SEXY!! I'M TOTALLY OBSESSED. (coughs awkwardly) oh and I don't own harry potter.

A/N: Okay this chapter could be subtitled la di friekin da! But anyway, on with the story.

"You are not honestly going to try and get his autograph," Hermione said to Ron as he stared at Victor Krum across the room.

"Of course not, that's why you're going to do it for me," Ron said.

"What on earth are you talking about?," she asked incredulously.

"Oh please Hermione," he begged.

"No, I'm eating my breakfast," she said. He kept giving her the look. "No," she said bluntly. He made his puppy dog eyes even bigger and pouted slightly. "No." Ron got right up in her face and she sighed. "Oh for God's sakes!," she cried. Hermione snatched up her quill and a roll of parchment before walking across the great hall towards the Slytherin table. Needless to say a most hated Gryffindor marching into enemy territory was enough to hush the din in the hall entirely.

"What's Granger doing over here?," Zabini muttered. "Your little girlfriend come to see you Malfoy?"

"Shut up Zabini," Malfoy growled.

"Excuse me," Hermione said to Victor. She was blushing furiously. "I was wondering if I could...uh...get your autograph?" He smiled and nodded before taking the quill and parchment and scribbling something down. The din had gone back to usual but it was only masculine voices that filled the hall as the girls all watched in envy. Victor handed her her things back and she nodded gratefully. "Thanks." As soon as she stepped away the noise went back to it's usual level.

"What'd he write," Ron asked excitedly as she sat down. "Boy I can see it now, _To Ronald Weasely: The soon-to-be greatest Quiditch player of all time!_," he cooed dreamily.

"Keep dreaming," Harry said as he read over the parchment. Ron snatched it and read the rough handwriting on the page.

_To the prettiest girl in Hogwarts. Just being near you makes me smile._

_ Victor Krum_

"What the...," Ron gasped.

"I didn't exactly, tell him it was for you," Hermione blushed.

"He doesn't mean it you know," Ron said. "Just saying it to keep on good terms with the fan base." Hermione glared at him angrily.

"What makes you believe he doesn't actually think that?," she asked.

"Oh come on Hermione, you know he's just saying what you'd want to hear." She glared at him so venomously that Ron actually feared for his life. Without saying another word Hermione picked up her books and slowly rose from her seat. Without hesitation she picked up her glass of pumpkin juice, freshly filled, and poured it over Ron's head. General outcries arose as she stormed out of the great hall.

"Way to get on her good side Ron," Harry said quietly.

"Yeah Ron," Fred and George said in unison as they sat down on either side of him. "Way to get on her good side."

"Shut up," he growled.

"I can't believe you got the autograph," George said.

"You've been in love with Victor so long. Just couldn't live without something to remember him by," Fred said.

"Shove it," Ron said as he attempted to magic away the spill.

"Let's see then," the twins said. They snatched the autograph and looked at the message. "The prettiest girl in Hogwarts," they cooed together.

"I think that's a step up for you Ron," they said hi-fiving each other and laughing as they walked away.

"What was she on about?," Ron asked, looking towards the door.

"You basically told her she was ugly," Harry said.

"I did not!," Ron argued. Ginny gave him a look and he turned back to Harry alarmed. "Did I?" Harry nodded. "Merlin," Ron muttered.

"And besides," Ginny said. "_Victor Krum _said she was pretty. That put her on cloud nine."

"So?," Ron asked.

"Every girl wants him Ron, it's _Victor Krum._" Ron glared across the room at his all time favorite quiditch player for the first time without a hint of adoration.

"Victor Krum, la di friekin da!"

A/N: TADA! New chapter soon. lol.


	10. The Champions

The Champions

Disclaimer: If you think I own Harry Potter, get off the crack! And the only way I could ever own Tom Felton is if it were in a fantasy induced by crack. Lol (seriously peeps get off the drugs)

A/N: new chapter, yay me!! Sorry about the wait.

That evening everyone gathered in the great hall. It was time for Dumbledore to announce the champions that would be competing in the tournament. Hermione was pretty sure she was the only one of the Gryffindors who hadn't entered her name. After all Gryffindor was known for bravery. That was a fact that stumped Hermione to this day. She was all brains and bravery only flared up when someone made her angry. She smiled as she remembered her punch to Malfoy's face last year.

Malfoy, why was he all that was on her mind lately? She didn't know what could have caused it. A few events on a train and in a shop were not going to change three years of pestering and jeering. Still, something she couldn't quite grasp was compelling her to look at him in a new light. _Not mean, _she thought as she looked across the room at him. _Just, different. Yeah, _she thought _misunderstood. _Suddenly she realized Malfoy had stopped laughing long enough to smile at her. Then he quickly turned back to his fellow Slytherins. Hermione's heart missed about six beets as she realized that she'd been openly staring at him across the great hall. She whipped back around in her seat and blushed furiously as she heard her heart thunder in her ears. For a moment her breathing shallowed and she feared she might pass out. _Was it possible, _Hermione wondered _to ACTUALLY die of embarrassment. _She gave her head a good shake and suddenly things were back to normal. She reached shakily for her pumpkin juice. _Of course not, _she thought as she took a sip.

Hermione looked up as Ron entered the great hall. There were two empty seats in her general area. One between her and Ginny, and one next to Harry across from her. Ron stood at the end of table, unsure which one to take. _Which is least deadly?, _Ron wondered as he looked at the spots on either end of Hermione. The smart thing to do would be to sit by Neville and Lavender on this end. _No, _Ron thought, _I have to apologize to her. But where to sit? Across to get kicked in the shins, or beside to get elbows in the ribs? _Ron decided that he didn't want to be in arm's reach of Hermione, who he hadn't spoken to all day, and took his seat by Harry. Subconsciously he was already flinching and apologizing to his shins.

"Hi Ron," Harry and Ginny said in unison as he sat down. Hermione's icy glare was filled with venom and she nearly hissed at him as she clenched her fist and turned her attentions back to her food.

"Um...how was your classes today Hermione?," Ron ventured slowly. She gritted her teeth and swallowed her food very slowly.

"Fine." Her reply was so final and full of warning that it actually silenced everyone within a three chair radius of her for a full ten minutes. Finally Ron worked up what remained of his fragile courage and gulped before looking up at her.

"I'm sorry Hermione," he whispered. She looked up slowly and lowered her fork as she swallowed the food she had been chewing. Ron's simple sentence was so full of remorse, guilt, and fear that Hermione softened just a bit.

"For what?," she asked quaintly.

"You know, for what I said this morning," he said. She raised her eyebrows at him and waited for him to continue. "About what I said about you and Victor. That he didn't mean what he said." Ron's voice was working up just a little bit as his eyes pleaded for her sympathy. "I was just-" he said as his voice rained and he looked away. He muttered something and Hermione gave him a small frown.

"What was that?," she asked.

"Jealous!," he shouted. "I was just really, really jealous! I can't stand the thought of any man coming near you!," he said. His voice was rising and Hermione blinked in surprise. She was blushing, just like she had when Malfoy had caught her staring. Except this blush was different. It wasn't the kind of pleasurable rush she'd had when she'd been caught staring. It was a kind of uncomfortable blush because he was saying all this entirely too loud. Besides that, the great hall was beginning to quiet as Dumbledore approached the Goblet. Ron, however, hadn't noticed. He went right on shouting. "And another thing," he said.

"Ron," she whispered quickly.

"No," he said "let me finish. I'm sorry Hermione, I'm sorry for any and every pain I've ever caused you!," he cried.

"Ron," Harry said a bit louder. Ron just kept on going, completely ignorant of the fact that the great hall had gone silent and even the teachers were watching this outburst.

"I can't stand it and I'd wish you'd forgive me!," he said. "Because I was just jealous, incredibly jealous. Jealous because...I love you!," he cried. Hermione gasped in shock, the great hall burst into laughter. The teachers all reclined in awe, except for Snape who rolled his eyes. Across the room Arabella was snickering into her hand, Victor Krum was looking thoroughly shocked, and a very angry Malfoy snapped a chicken leg clean in half. Dumbledore raised his hands for silence and slowly the laughing died down. He cleared his throat and directed his gaze towards the Gryffindor table.

"If you are quite finished Mr. Weasley, could you please take your seat so that I might call the champions now." Ron, who couldn't remember ever rising to his feet, miserably sunk back to his chair. He looked at Hermione with eyes full of hope but she was entirely too mortified by all of this. Quickly she rose from her seat and rushed from the great hall.

Across the room Malfoy shifted uncomfortably in his seat and slowly began to rise in order to follow her. Arabella grabbed his wrist and yanked him sharply back into his seat. She glared at him and turned around the hall. Nobody had seen him rise.

"Not yet," she hissed in his year. "Go chasing after your lovebird later," she said. "We have to make sure everything's going according to plan." She turned slowly back to Dumbledore and waited as he grasped a piece of paper that had previously been floating downward through the air.

"The Durmstrang Champion," he said. "Victor Krum!," Everybody cheered. Another piece of paper was spit from the blue flame licking the air and Dumbledore caught it as well. "The Beauxbaton's Champion," he said. "Miss Fleur Delacour!" Everyone cheered except for Arabella, who's already pale face slowly drained of all color. She turned to look at Malfoy with eyes as wide as dinner plates only to see he was breathing shallow, a sure sign he was panicking. "And last but not least," Dumbledore said as a piece of paper floated into his hands. Not even he dared to look at it's contents yet. "The Hogwart's Champion, Mr. Harry Potter!" The great hall erupted in applause as Harry walked up to receive his name.

"At least Potter made it," she whispered to Malfoy over the roar of the applause. Malfoy nodded slowly as Harry took his seat.

"That's not what I'm worried about," he gulped. As the great hall cleared, Arabella and Malfoy exited to the grounds. They sat off to the side of the steps, hidden from view. It was silent between both of them for a moment before Arabella's shallow breathing calmed enough to talk.

"What are we going to do?," she squeaked.

"I don't know," he returned.

"Draco," she said in a shallow whisper. "I was supposed to be our school's champion. I've been working at it for two years. If the dark lord finds out I'm not in there-"

"He won't," Malfoy said definitely.

"Of course he will," Arabella said slowly. "I was suppose to be in this competition to make sure Potter gets the goblet. If I'm not in that competition then how the hell do you suggest I do that?!," she squeaked.

"He won't find out, because you're going to get close to Fleur."

"What?," she asked.

"Close enough that you can convince her to sneak out for a midnight look at the grounds," he said. Then hex her, hide her. And I'll brew a polyjuice potion in the meantime. You'll pretend to be her," he said. "And everything will go according to plan," he said. Arabella nodded slowly, it was their only shot.

Malfoy went to bed right after their conversation. He was too panicked to remember what had happened with Hermione. So he never went to comfort her. And Hermione went to bed that night feeling completely alone in the world.


	11. And You?

And You?

Disclaimer: I had a dream in which I dated the incredibly sexy Tom Felton once. I had a dream in which I owned Harry Potter once. Needless to say neither of these events ever have or ever will happen.

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating I am writing this from scratch unlike the other stories I've placed on this site so it is difficult for me. Sorry.

By the next morning a rather uncomfortable silence had settled over the Gryffindor common room. More specifically, a rather uncomfortable silence had settled between Hermione and Ron. Hermione wasn't sure why she hadn't replied to Ron after his outburst in the great hall, she was sure her running out on him had only made things worse. And yet somewhere inside her she knew the feeling was only partially mutual. She loved Ron yes, but more as a brother than anything else. The thought of dating him made her very flesh begin to crawl. So when he decided to sit next to her on the couch that morning, the awkward silence hit an all time high. For a moment neither of them spoke to each other, both suddenly finding great interest in the outside walls of the room.

"Good morning Ronald," Hermione said at last. Her words were stiff and forced, not at all filled with their natural enthusiasm.

"Uh...good morning Hermione." His face had turned as red as his hair. "I...heard Harry made champion."

"Yes, yes he did." Both of them shifted uncomfortably and stared at their shoes as if the laces had sprouted a hippogriff's head.

"Hermione, about what I said last night." Again Hermione shifted uncomfortably and she finally got the guts to meet Ron's penetrating gaze. "Listen, Hermione, I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you at all."

"Oh no Ron," she joked. "You confessing your undying love for me at the top of your lungs in front of the whole school? How could that possibly embarrass me?"

"Listen Hermione," he said taking one of her hands in his. "I really do love you and I-"

"Ron just stop," Hermione said yanking her hand from his.

"But Hermione if you'd just listen to me I'd-"

"No Ron, you listen. Yes I love you but like a brother. Nothing more. So can we please, _please, _move past this before it gets so awkward it destroys our friendship?," Hermione begged him.

"Oh don't worry Hermione," he said hauling himself to his feet. "It already has." He turned on his heel and walked briskly to the boy's dorms and slammed the door. Hermione knew she should handle this with dignity and grace. She knew every eye in the common room was on her right now. However all she could manage was to burst into tears and flee to the halls. Hermione found herself running now, as fast as her feet would carry her to the outside world. She needed to find a safe place, anywhere that she could cry in peace. Hermione found herself running uncontrollably until she crashed head first into someone, taking that someone down with her. Hermione looked down to see a platinum blond Slytherin beneath her. Draco groaned and looked up at the face of his attacker.

"Oh for the love of Merlin," he said shoving her upwards so he could sit up. "Watch where you're going..." he trailed off as his eyes locked on the chocolate ones rimmed with tears "Granger?" He didn't get the time to say another word as she quickly leaped to her feet and ran. Hermione finally made it to the lake and grasped the tree by the water's edge. It looked like storms on this particularly cold day. Nobody in their right mind would be outside. Finally Hermione began to sob uncontrollably as she sank down the tree trunk before finally burying her face in her hands. It was no more than five minutes afterwards that she heard heavy footsteps behind her. She didn't look up, expecting that Harry had gotten news of her skiff with Ron and had come to comfort her. So when she felt an arm hesitantly reach out and touch her's she collapsed against the person and sobbed into his shoulder. Except, this person was more toned than Harry, and he smelled vaguely like peppermint, and he was wearing a Slytherin tie. And then- "Merlin Granger, keep this up and father's going to have to get these robes replaced." Hermione's eyes flew open and she popped off Malfoy's shoulder so fast she practically gave herself whiplash.

"Malfoy?!," she shrieked. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"You covered for me in Madam Malkin's, I owe you," he said. Hermione looked up at his face, not smiling, but not sneering either. She was incredulously taken aback by the fact that this boy who she'd hated all these years was the one to comfort her when she needed it the most. Obviously she was hung over from the celebration that'd been going on in the common room before she went to bed. Maybe even had a fever from a candy the Weasley's had slipped her. Because, obviously this had to be hallucination. Right?

"You owe me?," she asked skeptically.

"Yes and a Malfoy is never in the debt of others so consider this returning the favor," he said proudly. "Now would you like to tell me what you're so hysterical about or are you just planning to stain my robes until your tear ducts shrivel up?" Hermione still sat there staring at him, why should she tell him? Why should she tell him anything? Hermione sat there for a solid minute before she realized, she wanted him to know.

"It's just, me and Ron."

"Ah," Malfoy said sneering. "You and the Weasel get in a row after the whole 'I love you' bit?" Hermione nodded a bit and tried to keep herself together.

"I know he loves me he really does but-"

"And you?," Malfoy asked quietly.

"What?," Hermione asked quietly.

"Do you love him?" Hermione stared up into those stormy gray eyes, trying to decide what to say. Was he honestly trying to help? Malfoy was really trying to help her out? Something wasn't connecting that was for damn sure.

"No," Hermione said coldly.

"Well then there you go," Malfoy said quietly. "You don't love him and you deserve better besides. The Weasel will have to learn to man up and deal with it." Malfoy stood up and went to leave.

"Hey Malfoy," she called after him.

"What Granger?"

"Thanks." He smiled lightly as he turned half way to face her.

"I gave you a crying shoulder and consoled your woes," he said quietly. "Now, you owe me." And with a wink Malfoy had began his walk back to the castle as raindrops finally came out of the sky.


	12. R&R

Raindrops and Ridicule

Disclaimer: (lol, i feel slightly guilty doing these now that i have a boyfriend, and yet...Tom Felton, so here it goes) Hello, this is your operator. For the knowledge I don't own the drop dead gorgeous Tom Felton, press one. For the knowledge I don't own Harry Potter press two. For the knowledge on how to get a llama to wear a pink tutu press three. Please press four for more options.

A/N: Okay for the sake of this story I kind of killed a little bit of time, I realize the first challenge wouldn't be the day after the champions are named. But for story's sake lets use our lovely little imaginations shall we. Please and thank you. I know these chapters are kind of going from Draco to Hermione and back again but I promise very soon you will see a lot of them together. ; - )

Hermione let the icy rain pelt at her skin for ten more minutes before she pulled her jaw up off the floor and got to her feet. Now finally becoming aware of the cold she ran as fast as she could back to the castle. On the way to the common room for the second time that day she bumped into someone.

"Sorry," she muttered as she went to move away, but the person blocked her path. When she raised her eyes she saw Harry. "Harry!"

"Hey Hermione," he said quietly. "I heard you and Ron were having an argument." Hermione had a bitter laugh escape her lips before she leaned haughtily back against the wall.

"You and everybody else in the school."

"Do you want to talk about it?" _Not with you, _Hermione thought. But instead of bringing up the moment between Malfoy and her on the grounds, she turned to Harry with a convincing smile.

"No, I think I'm just going to get some sleep." Harry quirked an eyebrow at her and she laughed, remembering how ridiculous the claim must sound at one in the afternoon. "Just a little cat nap you know. I'll be up in time to come see you in the first event." Harry nodded as she went to walk off but he caught her wrist as she turned to leave.

"If you need anything Hermione," he said grimly. "Just let me know." Hermione nodded and walked off. Thankfully she found her strides uninterrupted by anyone else and she was finally able to lay her head down behind closed curtains, and have a minute of solitude to deal with her pent up emotions.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where were you?!," Arabella shouted furiously as Draco entered the common room, his clothes still dripping from the outside rendezvous with Hermione. "And what on earth happened? You're sopping wet!" Draco rolled his eyes and muttered a quick drying spell under his breath to prevent any further damage to the green rug on the obsidian floor.

"Got caught in the rain," he said as he moved quickly to the far corner of the room. The common room was overcrowded because of the rain today. Getting away clean wasn't going to be easy. Draco fully intended to continue moving until he'd made it all the way to the opposite end of the room but he felt a hand clench his wrist with such force that it actually jerked him to a halt.

"I said," Arabella hissed through gritted teeth "where were you?" Her words were coated in venom and Draco's eyes actually flickered a hint of fear as he tried to pull his wrist away. Her grip simply tightened as her eyes narrowed and Draco sighed slightly.

"Got. Caught. In. The. Rain." His words were slow and deliberate, as if he had to spell it out for her. Arabella was clearly dissatisfied but she couldn't afford to make any larger scene in the common room so she followed him to the far corner of the room.

"The challenge is in less than three hours," Arabella whispered steadily as her graceful feet matched his strides mark for mark. "What were you thinking?" Draco didn't answer but continued moving until they both reached a seemingly bare corner of the room.

"One. Two. Three." On the count of three Draco and Arabella's hands shot up simultaneously to grab a torch on the wall. For a moment Draco felt as if he had been disassembled and thrown in a million different directions. His stomach contorted at the strange feeling of falling but the knowledge that he was sustained. Finally the painful feeling dulled and stopped altogether as his feet found purchase on solid ground. He looked over at Arabella who had already let go and was peering from behind a shelf in the restricted section. "How you managed," Draco whispered as he let go of the torch, which was now in a previously empty holder on the wall. "To rig that thing so it would transport us to within ten feet of her every time," he said. "Is beyond me." Arabella rolled her eyes as she ducked down behind a table.

"Obviously," she said.

"What is that supposed to mean?," he asked.

"You Malfoy's are so full of yourselves, the lot of you. Pompous, spoiled, brats who have their heads so far up their asses they can't see what's really going on. All of you think you're so high and mighty because you're one of the only decent wizarding families in your area, when if you were matched up to anybody in my community you'd be considered worse off than the weasel. And you've less brains in your platinum blond head then Potter has! So I'll thank you kindly to shut up and stick to the plans from now on instead of running off to console a little mudblood when we have work to do." Draco's eyes doubled in circumference as he stared at Arabella. She'd said it all in no more than a whisper, as if it were a court statement about the weather instead of the only insult Draco Malfoy had ever received. He wanted to shout at her, slap her across the face, give her what for. But somehow, to his awed dismay, the only words that managed to escape his lips were-

"Don't call her a mudblood!" His hands flew to his own mouth in shock as he stared at Arabella who was staring wildly at him. As if it wasn't bad enough that she had thrown an accusation out there, Draco had just confirmed it. Arabella was smiling, but it was a kind of cruel, twisted thing. Not at all in resemblance to the innocent one she put on for teachers and classmates. Her icy blue eyes flashed like lightning as she moved a little closer to Draco. To close for comfort in fact.

"Oh Draco, Draco, Draco," she whispered. "I warned you the first time you discussed this little issue did I not? Now Draco, you wouldn't want your little friend to have an," she ran her razor sharp nail delicately down his cheek line "accident, would you?" Draco gulped slightly and made a move to back up before realizing he was already pressed against a wall.

"Don't you DARE hurt her," he said as loudly as he dared. Suddenly Arabella's perfectly manicured hand lashed out and her delicate fingers wrapped like a spider about his neck.

"Then don't you dare mess this up for me," she whispered. The contradiction between her actions and her voice was even more terrifying than the bloodthirsty look in her eyes. Her voice was calm and cool, almost coy, as if she was in complete control of the situation. And that's when the realization hit Draco, she was. Her father was Voldemort's second in command, she'd been the one sent in charge of this situation. She'd been named the heir to the Dark Lord's rein should the unthinkable happen. Draco was powerless, she'd been trained to be a deadly weapon, ready to strike on cue. And as Draco was quickly realizing, it didn't take much to make her snap. "I told you," she said gently as her grip tightened to a threatening level that began to stop oxygen flow through his lungs "we have orders to carry out." Arabella slowly released Draco's throat as she noticed Fleur opening a book. She turned like a lioness stalking it's prey to watch Fleur's every move. Draco rather hazily rubbed his throat until oxygen returned as he turned with her to watch Fleur. "Feelings," Arabella reminded him "are irrelevant."

A/N: Well? What did you think? Drop me a review and let me know please. Love it? Hate it? Tell me! Review review review! Please and thank you.


	13. First Challenge

The First Challenge

Disclamer: I never have and never will own Harry Potter, and that is a shame. I never have and never will own Tom Felton, and that is a crying shame.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update, I've just been a bit distracted lately. Anyways here's the next chapter.

Draco watched silently from the shadows as Arabella slid out to meet Fleur. The girl's looked alike, except that Fleur dominated Arabella in height. And the fact that Fleur was not a vicious, evil, death eater.

"Fleur!," Arabella called happily as she approached. Fleur gave a start but relaxed when she realized who it was.

"Arabella darling! So good to see you!" The girls exchanged a quick peck on each cheek. "Vat are you doing back 'ere? I thought zis section vas forbidden to 'ogwarts students!"

"I got a pass from one of the professors so I could look up something for a paper," Arabella said with her innocent smile. Even now that smile made Draco's stomach turn in on itself. It was so deadly to those who knew Arabella's power, and so innocent to those who remained ignorant of it. "The better question is," Arabella said sneaking a peek at one of the books. "What are you doing back here when the challenge is only hours away?"

"I am looking for a way to beat my dragon of course!"

"Dragons?!," Arabella gasped in feigned shock. "Is that the challenge?"

"Yes!," Fleur cried. Arabella slowly motioned Draco away as she turned with Fleur to go out the exit on the other end of the section.

"Well then stop waisting your time, I have the perfect solution."

"Oh really! Zank you! Zank you ever so much!!" Arabella smiled as she opened the gate to let Fleur out.

"It would be my pleasure."

As soon as they were gone Draco leaped to his feet. Arabella was right, the idea was to get close to Hermione so he could manipulate Harry's participation in the challenge. Not to fall in love with her. And now he had an ultimatum, use Hermione or see her killed. _Still, _he thought smugly, _there's no law that says I can't _enjoy_ using her. _With that Draco rushed off to wait by the stairs coming out of the Gryffindor common room for Hermione. She emerged nearly two hours later, her eyes were puffy and her face was tearstained. He came rushing up the stairs so he could make sure that running into her looked like an accident.

Hermione felt herself knocked over as the portrait closed behind her. _What is it with me and colliding into people today?_ Hermione attempted to get up until she realized who's stormy grey eyes she was staring into.

"Malfoy!"

"Sorry Granger," he muttered getting up. Hermione lie there for a solid five seconds after he got up. _Did Malfoy...just apologize to me?! _

"Uh..." she stuttered awkwardly. "Sure, no problem."

"Listen," he said. "I know the challenge is in a few hours and I'm feeling surprisingly charitable. So don't screw with me when I ask you this. Has Potter figured out how to get past his dragon yet?" Hermione blinked at him in total shock. "C'mon snap to Granger I don't have all day!"

"Uh...n-no. No he hasn't." She was in total shock. Why did Malfoy want to know this? And more importantly, how did he know about the challenges in the first place.

"Then listen to me very carefully Granger. Tell him _Accio Firebolt!_"

"_Accio Firebolt?,_" Hermione asked confused. Draco nodded as he turned to leave. "Uh...wait!" Draco turned back slowly. "Why do you want to help him?"

"Don't question my charity Granger, I'm in a good mood." She nodded slowly in awe as he turned to go once more. "Um...wait!" He turned back with a small twitch of annoyance and a bigger flash of pleasure on his face. "Do you want to...I don't know...sit by me, I guess," she said quietly. "For the first challenge." _Oh My God,_ Hermione thought astonished. _What did I just say?! He's going to laugh at me now, _she thought. _I better just go back in the common room before he has a chance to-_

"Yeah sure."

"W-what?"

"I said, sure Granger. Meet me by the edge of the quidditch pitch and we can go in together," he said. _Providing, _he thought _that Arabella doesn't kill me first. _

"Uh, yeah...okay...bye." Draco gave a small wave as he turned and walked down the stairs. _What the bloody hell just happened?!_

"Hi Hermione!" Hermione jumped about three feet in the air before she turned around and saw Ginny standing there. "Was that Malfoy? What did he want?"

"Uh...nothing. Hey Ginny, have you seen Harry?"

"He's down in the library," she said awkwardly as she looked at Hermione's flushed face and back after Malfoy. "But what was that-"

"Can't talk now Gin. Gotta go find Harry." And with that Hermione turned and went off after Harry, wondering what on earth she'd just gotten herself into.

A/N: What'd you think?! Short I know, but I write it as it comes to me. Please review.


	14. Dragons

Dragons

Disclaimer: Warning: This disclaimer contains the words TomFelton, who I don't own, but who's total sexyness has caused me to drool on occasions. Warning: This disclaimer also contains the words Harry Potter, which I don't own, but who's amazing story line has caused me to spontaneously laugh, gasp, scream, and burst into tears on occasions.

A/N: New chapter!! Yay!! Okay this one is full of Dramione goodness. LOL. Please review cuz I do appreciate it!!

Hermione found Harry sitting in the library, his hair ruffled to death. He looked like he hadn't slept in ages. The book he was hiding behind sported the title _Dragons Through the Ages. _Hermione approached quietly so as not to startle him.

"Um, Harry?," she said lying a hand on his shoulder. He jumped a bit but breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Hermione. "Was this where you were headed when I ran into you?" He nodded slowly and flipped another page in his book.

"Are you and Ron doing any better?," he asked gently.

"Um...no." There was an awkward silence that passed between the two. Finally Harry turned back and looked at her, then at his watch, and then back at her.

"Short cat nap," he commented offhandedly.

"I uh...couldn't sleep. So...how are you doing trying to figure out the challenge?"

"Terrible!," he said batting the book to the floor. "Seventeen books, seventeen books I've read and not one tells you how to get past a fire breathing, potentially deadly dragon."

"Um...listen," she said quietly. Hermione was about to tell Harry how to what Draco had said when a thought occurred to her. Why would he want to help Harry? More than likely Draco had given Hermione a spell that would hex him to oblivion. _Do I trust him that much, _Hermione wondered. She'd never trusted him before. She'd never trusted anybody that much for that matter. _It's Draco, _Hermione thought _and a few moments of wonderful is not enough to erase four years of terrible. _"Good luck," Hermione said quietly. Then with a conflicted mind, she turned to walk away.

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Hermione met Draco outside the quidditch pitch nearly fifteen minutes before the challenge started. Her stomach was in knots as she approached him. What she was facing was a matter of trust. And trust, was never something Hermione was good at.

"Hey Malfoy," she said quietly.

"Granger," he said. He gave her a nod of acknowledgment.

"Look," she said. Her voice was quivering, she was so terrified of what she was saying right now that she could barely breath. "I want to trust you, but it's so hard. So please," she said. "I'm begging you not to lie to me when I ask you this. Would that spell you gave me really help Harry?"

"GRANGER!! You didn't tell him. I can't believe you! I give you a spell that could help him and you-" He slowed and finally stopped when he saw her eyes. They were rimmed with tears. He'd caused her to cry so many times in his life, but it had never hurt him like this did. That look was enough to cut right through him. Those eyes cut right through him like a knife and knocked the breath straight from his lungs. She was asking him for one thing, the truth. And the truth was something he'd never been good at. "Granger," he said slowly. Her eyes were cast down now. He hesitantly reached out and touched her arm, gently getting her attention. "Hermione." That one word struck such a tender note in her heart that she lost all breath. She snapped her head up to look at him and her eyes locked onto his. They held the gaze slowly, and a chill went flying down both of their spines. "I know, I'm nothing. I'm certainly not anyone worth trusting. But I need you to take my word when I say I'm not lying." She gulped slowly and looked at him. His blond hair was sweeping close to those beautiful gray eyes. And she felt a ping of recognition, it was that same look he'd had in the dressing rooms clear back in Madame Malkin's. That rare look at the real Malfoy when all the pride and pain and falsehood had been stripped away. And all that remained was a real person. Honest, raw, and vulnerable. Right then and there Hermione felt a surge go through her unlike anything else she'd ever felt.

And then she was kissing him. Her lips slid onto his and he leaned back into her. Hermione felt as though she could cry as she thought about what was really going on. It wasn't the fact that she was kissing him, it was that he was kissing her. _This is mad, just mad, _she thought. _This is Malfoy, just Malfoy...no, this is more than Malfoy. _And he was. He wasn't the same boy that had tormented her before. He wasn't withdrawing from the touch of a mudblood. All he was doing was sliding his tounge through her mouth as she ran her hands through his hair.

After a moment they broke a part, both stunned breathless at what had just occurred. Enemies, sworn enemies even had just...kissed? Both of them were trying to understand what on earth had just happened. Finally Hermione found that she could make her mouth do more than kiss as she began to speek again.

"I have to worn Harry," she said quietly. He nodded quietly and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Find me once you're inside." She nodded and tore off towards the tent where the champions were, her mind still completely blown by what had happened. She slowed down as she reached the back side of the tent. Quietly she leaned up against the tent flaps. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she tried to keep her wits.

"Harry? Harry are you in there?!" Suddenly he was whispering back to her.

"Yeah?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Nervous, scared...um," he whispered. Hermione burst through the tent flaps and nearly knocked him over with a hug.

"Listen to me," she whispered. "_Accio Firebolt,_" she said. Her voice didn't falter at all. At the moment she trusted Malfoy, whether or not that was a mistake on her part remained to be seen.

"What?"

"I don't know if you have a plan or not-"

"I don't," he said quietly.

"Then when you get in there, _Accio Firebolt._" He quirked an eyebrow and she sighed. "Trust me!" He nodded and gave her another hug.

"Thank you Hermione." As Hermione turned to leave she noticed Victor was staring at her. Hermione shook off the notion that he could possibly like her as she turned to go. This whole day was making her head spin.

As Hermione took her seat next to Malfoy in the arena she heard Dumbledore's voice echoe across the pitch.

_"Welcome to the first challenge..." _

A/N: TADA! Please review.


	15. The Weasley Boy

The Weasley Boy

Disclaimer: I don't own Tom Felton and one day I'll come to terms with that, but for now I'll throw a hissy fit about it!! I don't own Harry Potter, and I'll never come to terms with that and shall continually throw a hissy fit until the end of time.

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. I KNOW that I'm killing a lot of time here, that it takes a polyjuice potion much more time than a few days to brew but please bear with me. Unless you want me to write about two months of nothing then just deal with the major timelapse! OH! And according to my reader traffic stats I have a lot of readers from other countries who have checked out this story. That's so cool. So hi to all my readers out there either in the states or not. Lol, here's the next chapter, please R&R!

Hermione gasped as Harry dove out of the way while the Hungarian Horntail let an inferno escape it's mouth. She kept glancing back between Malfoy and Harry. Had he lied? Now Hermione was sitting there and beating herself up for ever trusting him.

"YOUR WAND!," she shrieked desperately "USE YOUR WAND!" She looked over at Malfoy while Harry pointed his wand up into the sky. "If you lied to me," she said so darkly that Draco questioned whether or not Hermione could give Arabella a run for her money.

"I swear to you that it'll work." Hermione looked skeptically at him and then back at the quidditch pitch. Suddenly something whistled past her ear and Draco had to duck simply to avoid the broom now zipping towards Harry. Harry however was just staring dumbly at the _Firebolt _now closing the distance until it would knock him over. "C'mon Potter," Draco muttered under his breath "don't be as thickheaded as I always claim you are." Finally Harry seemed to get a grip on what he was supposed to do and leaped into the air just in time to catch his broom. He flew about backwards out of the pitch in an attempt to turn and dive for the egg when the dragon broke it's chain and chased after him. After a moment they were both too far away to see anything. The stadium had fallen to murmurs and a few shouts of horror. Hermione craned her neck desperately trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on.

"I can't see anything!," she cried desperately. She looked a little harder and turned to Malfoy "Can you see anything?!"

"NO. Now calm down he'll be fine."

"Where is he?!," she asked. Her voice was so stuffed full of alarm that her breathing was unendingly shallow. Malfoy was beginning to fear her having an actual panic attack. Finally Harry came charging back through and gripped the golden egg in his hands. "YES!! YES!"

"Well done Potter," Draco murmured under his breath, wearing the same smug smirk he always wore. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in his arm and he looked across the stadium to see Arabella glaring at him. Draco looked down to see his dark mark writhing about. In alarm he covered it and turned to Hermione. "I have to go."

"Now?," she asked confused.

"We'll talk later," he said. And with that, Draco Malfoy was gone.

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"It's ready?," Draco asked as he rushed to keep up with Arabella. His powerful strides were not enough to keep up with the hurrying blond.

"Don't do that," she said coldly.

"Do what?," he asked as they turned a corner.

"Talk to me like everything's okay and normal when you damn well it's not!," she said as she pushed her way into the deserted girl's bathroom. Draco followed and tried his best to play cool.

"I assure you Arabella that I have no idea what you're talking about," he said.

"Well then," she said rounding sharply to face him. "Let me spell it out for you. The Weasley boy saw you two kiss. And if you honestly thought something like that wouldn't get back to me then I don't know who you think you are!"

"Will you let me explain," Draco said trying to calm her down.

"NO! You know I could've been everything for you Draco. I could've been money, power, beauty! Do you think you'll get any of that from her! From that...that-"

"Don't you say it," Draco warned.

"MUDBLOOD! THAT FILFTHY, VILE, DISGUSTING, **TRAMP, **OF A MUDBLOOD!!"

"You take that back," Draco warned darkly.

"Or you'll what?! Call in daddy to take care of it?," she said coyly.

"Take it back!," Draco said loudly.

"Or what?"

"Take it back!!"

"No," she said immaturely.

"TAKE IT BACK!," he screamed ripping out his wand and putting it to Arabella's throat. Arabella smiled and boldly leaned in even closer to Draco, only his wand kept her from getting completely in his face.

"Or. What?" Each word was slow and deliberate, meant only to wear down Draco's very last nerve until it snapped. Draco gritted his teeth and his eyes flashed like lightning in a storm. Arabella could tell that he'd like nothing more than to hex her into oblivion right now, and she loved it. In pure defiance she tossed back her head and laughed. Slowly she shoved his wand off to the side and walked towards the bubbling cauldron on the floor. "C'mon, we've got work to do." Draco's face had risen to a healthy shade of red from his pure fury by the time he finally sat down.

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"FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW, FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW, FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!" The song was resounding around the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was right there with the rest of them, laughing and cheering while Harry sat high on Fred and George's shoulders.

"C'mon Harry!," Fred and George cried. "Open it!" Harry smiled with a laugh.

"Who wants me to open it?!" Everybody cheered. "Do you want me to open it?!"

"YEAH!!" Harry opened the egg and an unearthly shriek erupted from it. Hermione ducked in pain and covered her ears. Finally Harry managed to close the clasp on it. There was a collective sigh of relief from around the common room as people began to uncover their ears.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Everybody turned about to see Ron standing with his hands shoved in his pockets. Hermione's mouth about hit the floor, it was the first time she'd seen him since their blow out in the common room.

"Alright everybody," said George.

"Back to your knitting, it'll be awkward enough without all of you hanging around," said Fred. The common room began to clear away as Ron slowly approached Hermione. With a heavy sigh she reached into a bag and picked out a book before turning and flopping down on the couch.

"Hermione," Ron whispered sitting down. "Can we please talk?" Hermione let out a sigh with a huff and slammed her book closed before turning stiffly to face him.

"Alright Ron, let's talk." Ron's stomach was in knots, he'd seen the kiss. In his mind, this was his last chance to have anything with Hermione.

"Listen...Hermione, I need you to...just...listen." She very cheekily turned to acknowledge him.

"Listening." In pure consideration for Hermione's feelings and for his own he lowered his voice and leaned in towards her.

"Hermione, we may have argued but from day one but I was always here for you wasn't I? And I do love you Hermione. Please," he said taking her hand. She started to draw back but his grip tightened on her. _LISTEN_, she silently ordered herself _you owe him that much. _"I **know **that I'm nothing compared to Malfoy." Hermione's eyes snapped upwards to meet his.

"How did you-"

"I saw you...and him-" Ron swallowed hard and gagged slightly "snogging," he managed.

"You what?!"

"Just...hear me out. Hermione, I know I'm not as cute as him...I'm not as rich as him...I'm not as popular as him. And he's reminded you and I of that since day one. Or have you forgotten those things he said to you second year." Hermione's face writhed slightly as she thought of those insults came back to her. "Who stood up for you and wound up throwing up slugs for days because of it? Who came to save you when that troll broke in? Who was there for you to cry with when Buckbeak got well, when we thought Buckbeak got killed? And who did you stay behind with first year after that chess match?! How can you tell me with a straight face, that you never felt anything back?" Hermione's head was spinning as she tried to digest what he was saying. "Please Hermione, don't make me beg. If you've ever felt anything then please just...I mean...Hermione-" He was so at a loss for words that he was barely thinking anymore.

"What do you want me to say?," Hermione asked. "That I'm madly in love with you? Would you like me to lie, just so you can feel all better Ron? Look," she said, with tears rimming her eyes. "Things are strange for me right now. And you're right, you were there for me...and I should've been more thankful for it. Ron, I want you to be there for me forever, you me and Harry, that's how it should and always will be. I do love you Ron, but I don't think I can ever love you in the way you want me to. And there's no sugarcoating I can give to that. Please," she said. "There's nothing more I can say." Ron felt as if his stomach was in knots, his heart had just been ripped from his chest. And his worst fears...confirmed.

"O...k. Ok. Yeah, great, awesome...um..."

"Ron, I am sorry. You do understand right?," Hermione's words were hesitant.

"Of course I do," he said finally. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk." She leaned in and hugged him with a smile.

"You won't tell anybody will you?," she said after a moment.

"About what?"

"About...the kiss." Those words tore right through Ron and he stiffened his spine before drawing out of her embrace. There was an awkward silence between them and Ron was very deliberate in what he said.

"I won't tell anyone. And I don't know HOW you could like him," Ron said quietly. "But...just, don't ask me to stand by and watch my worst enemy steel you away."

"I promise not to say another word about him to you."

"Then I think this'll be okay. Just...be careful Hermione. Old habits die hard, and I'd hate to see you get hurt."

"I will," she said rising. "And Ron...thanks."


	16. If You Give a Girl a Rose

If You Give a Girl a Rose...

Disclaimer: (sung to the tune of the Oscar Meyer Wiener song). Oh I wish I owned Tom Felton, how cool would that be?! For surely if I owned Tom Felton, then he would fall in love with me! And Oh I wish I owned Harry Potter, that'd be the coolest thing. But sadly it's not the case, he belong's to J.K. Rowling!

A/N: Aha! And now we reach the chapter of this book that is my personal favorite. That's right folks, all the confusion and mayhem of the Yule Ball, except this time the jealousy lines are running so thick that the world just may very well implode from lack of normalcy. Read, and please review!

_"Because the Yule Ball is first and foremost...a dance." _Ron's head snapped to attention as Professor McGonagle said those word's. He'd been listening to her drone on for what seemed like forever and now two little words had managed to turn his world inside out. _I could ask her to go with me, _he thought _as just friends. _And Ron contemplated what would happen if he managed to get her to slow dance with him. And surely, he thought, that then their lips would grow closer...and closer...and finally he'd have the one thing Draco didn't. But it would be tricky...he'd need exactly the right timing and pawns to execute this rather difficult game.

Down in the Slytherin dungeons the same announcement had been made, except with much less enthusiasm. Proffesor Snape had simply put up a flier. One that now both Arabella and Draco were reading. And Draco, too, had a plan devising in his head. He knew that if Arabella knew about the kiss that it wouldn't just go away. He'd have to plan this correctly to spare Hermione from the point of Arabella's wand. He knew right then and there upon reading the words written in black ink upon that emerald page that the only way to save Hermione...was to break her heart.

"Well," Arabella said saucily. "Aren't you going to go ask her?" Arabella's lips were pursed so tight that she looked as though she'd bitten into a lemon and was now trying to rid her tounge of the flavor.

"Oh no," Draco said smiling. "I've got a very good idea of who I'm asking to that dance." With a mysterious smirk in Arabella's direction he walked slowly out of the common room.

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"Hey Harry," Ron said as they were walking out of class that day. "Who're you thinking of taking to the ball?"

"I'm hoping to take Cho."

"Good luck getting around Cedric with that," Ron said smirking. "Last I checked those two were madly in love."

"Yeah, I know," Harry sighed. "Haven't quite figured that one out yet...Hey, what about you? I mean, you know...with Hermione and you not exactly on good terms and all." Harry shifted uncomfortably but he was surprised to see Ron smiling.

"I'm gonna ask her to go as friends," he said quietly. "And hope it turns into something more."

"You won't give her up will you?"

"Never," he said. "And I've gotta find her before someone else moves in," he said.

"Alright," Harry said smiling. "Good luck."

"Thanks mate, you too."

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Professor Severus Snape was mulling over some essays and debating on how to give Harry another detention for no apparent reason other than the fact that he's there when he heard a knock at his already open office door. He sighed, agitated, and looked up to see Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway.

"Um...Professor. I was wondering if I could maybe...talk to you...for a minute." Snape's eyebrow's raised even farther up his high forhead accenting his pointed nose. "It's about the ball sir." Snape thought about it a moment before beckoning for Draco to come in. Draco turned and closed the door before walking in and sitting down in a chair across from Snape's desk.

"Well," Snape said impatiently.

"It's just, I've got this girl who I want to go to the dance with...and it's _important _that I go with her. However, she's a classy girl, I have to be cool about the way I ask her." Snape rolled his eyes and sighed before turning and looking a bit kinder at Draco.

"Alright, as much as I _love _to discuss teenage horomonal problems-"

"Professor...please."

"What's her favorite flower?," Snape sighed.

"Um...I have no idea."

"Find out, get her that flower...ask her to the dance. The end, good day." Draco nodded and turned to leave. Suddenly he turned back to Snape.

"Is that how you asked her?," Draco said quietly.

"Who?," Snape said.

"Lily Evans. Is that how you asked her out?" Snape sighed and his eyes looked like those of a wounded animal.

"No, I made a lot of mistakes with that girl. Ones I wish I could take back. Draco," he said suddenly. Malfoy was alarmed by the direness of his voice. "Don't be a fool. Whoever this girl is...treat her right. Once you scorn someone, you can't get them back." Draco nodded and smiled lopsidedly.

"Thanks Professor." So Draco turned and left the office before smiling and heading towards the great hall. Pansy nearly bumped into him going down the stairs he was moving so fast. "Sorry Pans."

"Hey Draco," she said awkwardly. "You hear?! Blaise asked me to go to the ball with him."

"Yeah...great. Listen, any idea what Arabella's favorite flower is?"

"No," she shrugged. "You can't go wrong with roses though."

"Right...of course. Thanks Pansy!" With that Draco took off running towards the great hall once again. _Perfect _he thought as he entered. _It's empty. _And with a smirk and a wave of his wand, Draco had layed out the perfect way to break Hermione Granger's heart.

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"Why Miss Arabella," Draco said pulling her hand gently to his lips. "I was wondering if you would do me the favor of letting me escort you to the great hall." Arabella raised one of her perfectly arched eyebrows before nodding her consent and taking his arm. He led her all the way to the closed great hall doors before he turned back to her excitedly. "Close your eyes."

"Excuse me?," she said skeptically.

"Close your eyes."

"Alright," she sighed. Draco smiled and led her slowly into the great hall.

"Okay...now...open them." And she did. Arabella drew back in awe as she looked about the great hall. There were red roses covering the floor and flooding the tables and raining from the ceiling. There were petals falling gently into her silky blond hair and catching on Draco's shoulders.

"Draco!," she gasped.

"Listen, I thought about what you said and...you're right. You'll be more for me than Hermione could ever be. Arabella Cathleen Rachelle, will you go to the dance with me?"

"Yes," she whispered. Draco smiled and picked up a rose before gently pinning it in her hair. And they stood there smiling at each other until house elves kicked them out and scolded them for the display of so many roses.

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"Her-mio-ninny." Hermione turned around to see Viktor Krum standing there and smiling at her.

"Hello," she said quietly.

"I vas vondering," he said gently. "Vould the prettiest girl in Hogwarts do me the honor, of accompanying me to the ball."

"Oh Viktor, that's very sweet...but I...I was kind of hoping to go with um...somebody from Slytherin."

"But all ze' Slytherin boys are taken."

"Draco?," she asked confused.

"Meester Malfoy is going with Mees Arabella." Those words were like a punch in the stomach to Hermione as she stared at him.

"Then yes," she said numbly. "I suppose I'll go with you." Viktor bowed and walked away from her absolutely beaming.

"HERMIONE! Hey! Hermione!" Hermione turned to see Ron running at her full force. He was panting and running very low on breath by the time he met up with her. "Hermione," he gasped. "I have something to ask you."

"Are you okay Ron?"

"Fine," he gasped. "You are one hard person to find, you know that?," he asked.

"I suppose."

"Listen, I was wondering...if maybe...you wanted to go to the ball with me. As friends only," he added quickly.

"I'm sorry Ron...I've already agreed to go with somebody."

"Oh," he said. "Alright, no problem." Ron turned stiffly to walk away as Hermione tried to figure out what was going on. Suddenly the dance she had looked forward to had become much more complicated. She shuddered to think what would happen when the dance actually occurred. Because then, everything would hit the fan.


	17. She's Going to Want a Date to go With it

...She's Going to Want a Date to go With It.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, that is a truth universally acknowledged. I don't own Tom Felton, that is a truth universally and mournfully acknowledged. (props to Jane Austen for the universally acknowledged bit).

A/N: Well, here is the chapter for which I originally wrote this book. This one, right here. LOL! Please R&R!!

Hitting the fan, was an understatement. The Yule Ball, Hermione thought as she looked back on what had happened tonight, had been madness. Romantic, but madness...

"Oh there you are Mr. Potter," Proffersor McGonagle said as Harry walked towards the entrance to the great hall. "Are you ready?"

"Ready?," Harry said confused.

"You and Miss Patil. It is customary for the champions to have the first dance, surely I mentioned it."

"No," Harry said flustered, "not really."

"Oh, well now you know," she said. Then she turned to face Ron, who had the other of the Patil twins draped over his arm. "Mr. Weasley you and Miss Patil may proceed into the great hall."

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Across the entrance hall, Draco was waiting very casually for Arabella. _Late, _he thought in disgust _to a date...with ME! _

"Can you believe these women?," Draco said offhandedly to Crabbe. But for some reason, he wasn't being payed attention to. "Crabbe?" Draco turned and followed Crabbe's gaze to where a one Miss Hermione Granger was coming down the steps. Draco completely lost his breath as he stared at the girl descending the stairs.

Her brown hair was silky smooth now, not at all wild or frizzy. It was pulled up off her bare shoulders and only a few soft ringlets escaped to rest on her skin. Her dress was some sort of pink...or was it purple? Draco could never be sure with women and their colors. Either way it was clinging nicely to her figure except on her hips where it was blooming into layers of cloth. _Like a rose, _Draco mused. _A pink one, something much more subtle and far less dangerous than red._ Draco had taken a step forward, as if to meet her at the bottom of the stairs when he remembered. She was not his date. Arabella was. _It's for her own protection, _Draco reminded himself silently. Still, he was grinding his teeth together as Hermione took Viktor's arm and walked forward into the hall with the champions.

"DRACO!" Draco turned about to see Arabella standing there, and not looking half bad actually. Her silky blond hair was resting on her pale shoulders. She was wearing an emerald green gown, and it was complimenting her figure very nicely. _Not nearly as pretty as Hermione, _he thought as he stared at Arabella. "Are you even listening to me?," she said.

"Yeah, sure." Arabella rolled her eyes and Draco took a little bow before offering his arm. "Would you like to go in m'lady?"

"I'd be delighted," she said smiling. _Well at least she's content for the moment, _Draco thought. He proceeded slowly with her into the great hall, admiring the glitz and glitter of the decoration. "Oh look," she whispered excitedly in his ear. "Here come the champions." Arabella seemed much less dangerous, almost elegant. _Elegant like a cobra, _he reminded himself.

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It was a great deal of time later in the dance that the original dates started splitting up. And oh how bizarre that experience had been too.

"Oh," Arabella cooed as she and Draco finished the umpteenth dance of the night. "I'm simply exhausted."

"I'll go get us some punch," Draco offered immediately. He walked off smiling towards the punch table. As much as he'd rather be with Hermione, Arabella wasn't half bad. He ran in to Pansy rather awkwardly at the punch table.

"Where's Zabini?," Draco asked her.

"Pining over your date!"

"Really?," Draco said amused. "Who knew?"

"I think I did, but I said yes to him anyway," Pansy sulked. "Do you want to dance with her?," Pansy said quietly.

"Who?," Draco asked.

"The Granger girl. Do you want to dance with her or not?"

"Yes," Draco said slowly. "But I don't see how-"

"We'll pull a move like in the movie _Grease._"

"What?!," Draco asked confused.

"I know, I know. My muggle is showing. Now shut up and listen, here's what we're going to do..." And as Draco listened his smile grew wider, this was going to be perfect.

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"Arabella darling," Draco said walking up to her. "Come dance with me."

"Of course Draco," she said smiling. And so they moved out as the music began to play. It was an upbeat waltz. Draco pulled Arabella's arms up and they began to dance. Off in a far corner of the room, the plan was beginning to take form.

"Listen, Zabini," Pansy whispered in his ear. "Do you want to dance with that Arabella girl?," she said.

"Yeah but-"

"Then listen to me very carefully..." And soon Pansy and Zabini were out on the floor as well. Viktor and Hermione hadn't stopped dancing for most of the night. And all three couples were dancing very close. "Alright," Pansy whispered "now." She looked over Zabini's shoulder and nodded at Draco.

Quickly Zabini broke apart from Pansy and they moved quickly across the floor. Zabini was moving very quickly towards Draco and Arabella, and Pansy was moving towards Viktor and Hermione.

"Pardon me Draco but I'm cutting in," said Zabini throwing Draco off Arabella. He pretended to be stressed about it. But he only pretended long enough that Pansy could separate Viktor and Hermione. At that exact moment the song ended. Another one was beginning, it was slow. It didn't sound at all familiar so Draco wondered if perhaps it was something muggle. Then he recognized it as one of the songs Pansy was always singing. With a smile he walked up to a flustered Hermione and bowed.

"May I have this dance?," he whispered.

"I'd be delighted," she said smiling. The dance floor cleared in shock and awe right as the words began. All of them were watching sworn enemies dance together. And it was the biggest shock to ever hit Hogwarts. Everybody had panned out and was watching as Draco and Hermione danced completely alone in the middle of the floor.

_I could stay awake,_

_just to hear you breathing._

_Watch you smile while you are sleeping._

_While you're far away and dreamin'. _

_I could spend my life,_

_in this sweet surrender._

_I could stay lost in this moment, forever._

_For every moment spent with you,_

_is a moment I treasure!_

_I don't wanna close my eyes,_

_I don't wanna fall asleep,_

_cuz' I'd miss you baby._

_And I don't wanna miss a thing._

_Cuz' even when I dream of you,_

_the sweetest dream would never do._

_I'd still miss you babe,_

_and I don't wanna miss a thing!_

"Everybody's watching us," Hermione whispered in Draco's ear as she rested her head on his shoulder. He blew slightly in her silky hair and smiled.

"So what if they are?"

_Lying close to you,_

_feeling your heart beating._

_And I'm wonderin' what you're dreamin',_

_wonderin' if it's me you're seeing!_

_And then I kiss your eyes,_

_and thank God we're together._

_I just wanna stay with you,_

_in this moment forever!_

"You're okay with this?," she asked, now looking into his eyes. "Everybody knowing."

"Are you?"

_I don't wanna close my eyes,_

_I don't wanna fall asleep._

_Cuz' I'd miss you baby,_

_and I don't wanna miss a thing!_

_Even when I dream of you,_

_the sweetest dream would never do!_

_I'd still miss you baby,_

_and I don't wanna miss a thing._

_I don't wanna miss one smile,_

_I don't wanna miss one kiss._

_I just wanna be with you,_

_right here with you._

_Just like this._

_I just wanna hold you close,_

_and feel your heart so close to mine._

_And just stay here in this moment,_

_for all the rest of time!_

"Draco, what's going to happen when this dance is over?" He was smiling at her as their eyes met.

"When did you start calling me Draco?," he asked smirking. She shrugged and he smiled. "When this dance is over Hermione, I'm almost completely sure the world will implode from lack of normalcy...and I'm perfectly fine with that."

_I don't wanna close my eyes,_

_I don't wanna fall asleep._

_Cuz' I'd miss you baby,_

_and I don't wanna miss a thing!_

_Cuz' even when I dream of you, _

_the sweetest dream would never do..._

"And you?," he whispered as the song was nearing it's final notes. "Are you okay with this?"

"Yeah," she said quietly.

_I'd still miss you baby,_

_and I don't wanna miss a thing._

As the last notes on the song struck Draco leaned in and kissed her. That kiss, witnessed by the whole school, would prove Draco's theory correct. The social hierarchy of Hogwarts was about to implode, from lack of normalcy. And in the days to come, the two would discover, a forbidden love was enough to endanger more than their popularity.


	18. Let the Lack of Normalcy Begin

Let the Lack of Normalcy Begin

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, if I did I would've changed a few things. For instance, Tom Felton, who I don't own, would've fallen madly in love with me. Lol.

A/N: Okay this chapter's gonna be chaotic, so try to keep up. R&R!

And oh, how right Draco had been. They hadn't barely left the dance floor when the world did indeed seem to lose all sense of normalcy. Ron was staring bitterly at them from the other side of the room but not moving to approach them at all. He was sitting like a rock and trying not to fly off the handle. _Grace and dignity, _he reminded himself gently. _She doesn't feel the same...you can't go over there and make a fool of yourself._

Harry didn't seem to have that same sort of self control. Of course, Ron had had time to process and deal with the fact that Hermione was dating his worst enemy. Harry, had not. And so he immediately left his date and stormed after the two giggling dates.

"HERMIONE!" Hermione groaned slightly as she turned to face Harry. Immediately Draco looked at her with a face that screamed _I told you so!_

"Yes?," she said shortly through gritted teeth.

"W-what, how, who? I mean...Ron...and Draco...and...huh?"

"Oh yes Harry, because I can definitely decipher and respond to that kind of sentence," she said sharply.

"Can I talk to you," he said under his breath "now!"

"I'll be right back Draco," she said gently. Then she turned ferociously back to Harry. "What?," she hissed as they walked away.

"HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO RON!," He shouted as soon as they were out of earshot.

"What do you mean? Harry," she said astonished "I thought you understood that I didn't like Ron the way he-"

"You _know _what I mean," Harry said darkly.

"What do you mean Harry?," Hermione asked.

"You dating Draco!! Draco Malfoy, our sworn enemy! How could you _do _that to Ron!"

"He was perfectly fine with it," Hermione said pursing her lips.

"Perfectly fine with it? _Perfectly fine _with it? Do you have," Harry said slowly "any idea what he's been going through. What you put him through!! It was one thing when it just wasn't returning the feelings but to go with...Malfoy?!"

"He said-"

"I KNOW...what he said," Harry said. "And he said that because he still cares about you and he didn't want to put you through any unnecessary drama. Crying, Hermione..he's been crying. Every night since the champions were selected. He hasn't been angry at you or cold to me, he has bottled it all up...to save your feelings. But you don't seem to care about his feelings as well do you? Because obviously if you cared you wouldn't be dancing with and KISSING his worst enemy. Hermione...I don't understand how you can...do that."

"Because...because..."

"What Hermione, because what?"

"Because I love Malfoy!" Hermione's hand flew to her mouth immediately as the words came out. She'd just screamed aloud what she'd barely admitted to herself let alone to anybody else. And to make matters worse, the last song had just ended. And her words had been heard by every last person in the great hall.

"What?"

"I...I-" Hermione was on the brink of tears as she looked around the great hall in distress. She saw Ron glaring, everyone else was in shock. The person who's eyes it was hardest to meet was Draco's. But she did, she forced herself to connect instantly with his stunned gray eyes. He was looking at her with an expression that was practically unreadable. It seemed pleasantly surprised but Hermione wondered if perhaps she was only seeing what she wanted to see. Finally she turned and ran from the great hall as tears flowed from her eyes.

"Hermione!," Harry cried. He moved as if to go after her but he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Harry turned around to see Ron standing there.

"Don't," he said. His voice was quivering and a tear was rolling down his cheek as he struggled to keep control. "Just...let it go mate." Noise had returned to the dance now as another song started to play. "Let her go."

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Hermione hadn't even made it all the way back to the common room. She had collapsed against a wall and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Love me huh?" Hermione looked up at to see Draco standing with his hands jammed in his pockets.

"I don't know what made me say it. I'm sorry," she whispered. Hermione drew her knees up close to her and hugged them as she put her nose in her knees and began crying again. She wasn't sure how long she'd had her head in that quiet sanctuary. All she knew was she was in the dark and crying. The strange thing was that she'd assumed Draco had left her there. She was wrong.

"I'm not."

"What?," she said sniffing gently. He sat down gently next to her.

"I'm not sorry you said it. Surprised, not sorry."

"How can you-"

"DRACO!" Both of them looked up to see Arabella storming down the hall.

"Get away from me," Draco said shoving himself away from Hermione. _For Hermione's own good, _he thought. Draco didn't want to say what he was about too, but he had to play his part convincingly and to do that, he had to hurt Hermione. He knew he had crossed a line kissing her on the dance floor. He had to remedy the situation if he wanted to keep her safe. And the only way to do that, was to break her heart. He backed up towards Arabella. "You filfthy little mudblood!" And those few words, cut Hermione deeper than anything she'd ever felt.

"Wait then you're not down here to," Arabella began.

"I was coming down here to explain to her that I _do not _love her." Hermione wasn't listening to what Draco was saying presently, she was too busy jumping to her feet.

"MUDBLOOD?!," she roared. "How **dare **you! Can you still use that word?," she asked astonished. "After all these years and-"

"Face it Granger, he doesn't like-"

"Shut. Up," Hermione said. And Draco took a step back in shock. Hermione was giving Arabella a severe run for her money. With the most pain Draco had ever witnessed Hermione brandished her wand. "Razorious blie!," she hissed. Two thin silver strands emitted from the tip of Hermione's wand. For a minute they hung loose in the air and then they flashed violently through the air and slid across both Draco and Hermione's palms.

"Ah!," Draco said clutching his palm. There was a solid slit across his palm that scarlet blood was leaking from. "What was that Granger?!," he growled. She reached out as blood flowed steadily from the cut on her own palm and snatched his hand.

"Look at this," Hermione said.

"Granger what are you-"

"LOOK! Do you _see _my blood! Look at this Draco, red! _All _of us bleed red, _regardless _of where we're from, or who are parents are! It's red Draco, your blood, is red. And so is mine, not green, not brown, not tainted...red!," she said bitterly as the blood began to move past their palms and down their arms. "And if you can't understand that by now, then I don't know why I wasted my time."

"How dare you hurt him," said Arabella chasing after Hermione. And with the bitterest pain Hermione had ever felt she turned around and slapped her across the face before storming away, leaving a crimson handprint on Arabella's shocked face.


	19. Once You Scorn Someone

Once You Scorn Someone

Disclaimer: Harry Potter (who I don't own) is hot on the bestseller charts. Tom Felton (who I don't own) is hot on my wall. Thank God for posters!!

A/N: Okay sorry it's been so long since I last updated. It's been kind of hard for me to think of stuff for this story. But here's a new chapter none the less.

_"One you scorn someone, you can't get them back." _Oh how Professor Snape's words were resounding in his head. Draco looked at the silver and green watch on his arm. It's hands now rested on 3:30 a.m. He hadn't managed to sleep a wink all night. He kept trying to remind himself that it was for Hermione's own good. He couldn't let Arabella be angry with her, because regardless of how strong Hermione was, if she and Arabella got in a fight, she would lose.

But now Draco was realizing he could've made the plan work as an excuse. Only that wouldn't have succeeded forever. He needed to get close to Hermione to make sure Harry would get to the third event. But after the dark lord had returned and disposed of Harry? _No, _Draco decided _it was better to end it now. After all, I would've had to have broken up with Hermione eventually...better now then later. Stringing her out would've been just cruel...so cruel. _And Draco realized that's exactly what he was, cruel. What he had done to Hermione tonight had been the cruelest action imaginable. Draco rolled over for what had to be the thousandth time that night and closed his eyes. But still sleep would not come to him. It refused to relieve him of his tortured thoughts. Draco sighed and looked at his watch. 3:31. _"Once you scorn someone, you can't get them back." _3:32.

"What have I done?," he whispered.

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_"Welcome one and all to the second challenge..." _Draco looked over at Fleur, except it wasn't really Fleur at all. It was Arabella in the form of Fleur. The Polyjuice potion had worked well. _"Each of our champions will have exactly one hour to recover what has been stolen from them." _Draco smirked quietly to himself, finding it ironic that the strength of the Poyjuice was giving Arabella an hour and a half before she became her old self again. Then she would let Fleur out of that store room and use the confungdus charm to make her "remember" the challenge. As soon as Draco saw "Fleur" wink at him, he went off towards Harry.

"Potter," Draco hissed under his breath.

"What the bloody hell could you possibly want Malfoy?!," Harry hissed back.

"I just hope you know how to stay under for an hour," Draco responded coolly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do you want my help or not?"

"Why would you want to help me?," Harry asked.

"Because I want a Hogwarts victory so I can dangle it over that git Krum," Malfoy responded.

"You know, you have a real knack for getting into rows with famous people."

"Don't remind me, now," Draco said slipping something slimy into Harry's hand. "Eat this right before you jump in, but work fast. It's only supposed to give you an hour."

"Good," Harry said. "Because that's all I've got." Draco nodded as Harry started to walk for the front of the docks, before turning back to Malfoy. "Don't think this makes anything alright between us. I still hate your ever loving guts," Harry whispered darkly.

"Wouldn't have it any other way Potter." And without another word Draco turned and walked off the docks. He wasn't planning to stay to watch the event. He didn't need to see Hermione come up in Krum's arms, and he certainly didn't need to witness what could be potentially worse. She and Ron cuddling after the competition to stay warm.

With a shudder Draco pushed these thoughts from his mind and headed back to the common rooms. _A nap, _Draco thought sleepily. He hadn't managed to find sleep at all the night before and was so tired now that his eyelids were practically closing on him here in the hall. _I could _really _use a nap! _But when Draco lie down he couldn't manage to fall asleep. The dungeons seemed unaturally cold today. _So cold, _Draco thought shivering. _Why is it so damned cold?! _When he opened his eyes he saw none other than the Bloody Baron himself hovering over his bed.

"What the-"

"Good day Mister Malfoy," the Baron said curtly. "Is there a reason sleep seems to be effortlessly eluding you?" Malfoy let his jaw hang open a touch as he stared at the Baron before him. "Spit it out then. I'm not blind, I can see that you've been awake for the whole of last night and I happened to be present in the hall in which you had your falling out with the mudblood."

"DON'T USE THAT WORD!!," Draco thundered leaping to his feet and moving after the Baron. He attempted to pound his fists on the Baron's chest and succeeded only in repeatedly throwing them right through the Baron's body every time. "DON'T EVER USE THAT WORD! NEVER EVER **EVER** USE THAT DAMNED WORD!!," Draco roared. Finally Draco's fist made contact with the wall he had backed the Baron up to. And in the most miserable defeat he had ever felt, Malfoy groaned and slumped down the wall until he was sitting with his face buried in his hands.

"Ah," the Baron said gently. "So I was correct, you really did love that Granger girl."

"Why do you care?," Malfoy snapped.

"You're not the only one with a tale of love lost. But do you want my help or not?"

"That depends," Draco murmured.

"Tell me your situation," the Baron said soothingly, and he too moved into a sitting position, hovering just above the floor. Draco double and triple checked to make sure that the common room was empty before he began whispering exactly what was going on.

"You've seen the new girl, Arabella?," he whispered.

"Of course," the Baron said quietly.

"Her father, is the dark lord's second in command. And at the beginning of the year we were both given a task to do by the dark lord himself. There were supposed to be two Hogwarts champions you know? Arabella, and Potter. And it was supposed to be Arabella's job to make sure Potter got through the tournament. And mine to make sure everything went along swimmingly. But the enchantment on the goblet didn't work, and Potter was the only one in the tournament. Strike one," Draco said ticking up a finger. "So we decided I'd get close to Granger to make sure that Potter got through his first two challenges. She'd pose as Fleur for the second and third, the second to insure he was the first into the maze, and the third to make sure he won. It's all to do with bringing the dark lord back to power. But Arabella, the cunning little girl, fell in love with me and she likes to get what she wants." The Baron nodded in understanding and Draco ticked up a second finger. "Strike two. But I confused work with emotions and fell for the Granger girl right? So, that made Arabella mad at me and FURIOUS with Hermione. And I love Hermione enough to want to keep her safe, which means my only choice was to-"

"Break her heart," the Baron finished for him.

"Bingo," Draco said ticking up a third finger. "Strike three, I'm out."

"And you want to know how to keep Hermione and not get the both of you slaughtered by what has to be the most dangerous witch in a century, is that it?" Draco nodded and the Baron tossed back his head in a hearty laugh. "Then listen to me very carefully..."


	20. Sealed With a Kiss

Sealed With a Kiss

Disclaimer: In the world of Harry Potter, which I do not own, Draco Malfoy is the evil villain you just want to punch square in his rock hard abs. In my world Tom Felton, who I unfortunately do not own, is so hot you want to do very inappropriate things with that include his rock hard abs. (jk, jk.)

A/N: Okay sorry I haven't updated in forever, I had to think of something to put in this next chapter. Lol, please enjoy.

"Are you mad," Draco said staring at the Baron.

"Do you want to get the girl or not?," he asked curiously.

"Well...yeah...but-"

"Then do it." Draco stared at the Bloody Baron incredulously, he was acting as if what he had just suggested occurred in every day life.

"I can't cross the dark lord," Draco hissed under his breath.

"You can, if you want to badly enough."

"But-"

"Draco. I gave you my advice, use it as you will." And with that Malfoy had no choice but to watch the Baron float away. _Okay then, _Draco thought miserably _here goes nothing. _He pulled out a quill and ink and sat down at a table.

_Hermione,_

_ Meet me tonight in the astronomy tower. Come alone._

_ Signed,_

_ A friend_

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"A friend," Harry questioned looking over the letter for the eighth time. "And you have no idea who sent this Hermione?" She shrugged slightly and took another drink of her coco.

"None." The trio had gathered by the fire with some coco, courtesy of the house elves, and tried to warm up after the challenge. The common room had cleared out fairly quickly, much faster than it had after the first challenge.

"Well are you going to go?," Ron asked snatching the letter from Harry. Harry shot Ron an aggravated look as he nursed his now paper cut finger.

"I don't know," Hermione sighed. "I mean, I suppose I could. But I don't know about going alone."

"Well of course you won't go alone!," Ron said. "You don't know who this git is. Harry and I will come with you, won't we Harry?"

"Oh no," Harry said. "I'm exhausted, I didn't sleep at all last night looking for a way to survive the challenge."

"Oh yeah mate," Ron said smiling. "Forgot to ask, how did you manage to stay under for an hour."

"Gillyweed," Harry said.

"Gillyweed?! Harry, how on earth did you get that?," Hermione asked.

"I...I...got it from...from-"

"Harry! Who gave it to you?" Hermione's face was growing more contorted in stress as Harry sat there stammering.

"M-Malfoy," he managed finally. Hermione's face relaxed a bit but her emotions still seemed on edge.

"I don't understand it," she murmured.

"What?," Ron asked.

"I don't understand how that arrogant, dispicable, pigheaded, uncivilized, indecent, foul-"

"Loathsome evil little cockroach?," Harry supplied.

"AND THEN SOME!," Hermione finished triumphantly. "Would want to help you." At each insult of Malfoy Ron's smile grew bigger and bigger until it had literally spread from ear to ear.

"It's alright Mione'," Ron said gently. "We'll go up to the astronomy tower, and I'll wait under the invisibility cloak while you see who this 'friend' is." Hermione nodded and turned to him with a radiant smile.

"Thanks Ron." Ron beamed like there was never a happier moment in his life, and Harry suspected he would've stayed that way had he not unintentionally ruined the moment.

"Hermione, what happened to your hand?," Harry asked. Hermione glanced down at the scar across her right palm and sighed.

"What is that Mione'?," Ron asked picking up her hand gently. Hermione's face clouded and when she spoke her words were very bitter indeed.

"That, Ronald, is nothing more than the mark of a pureblood's ignorance." Ron looked as if he was ready to question it further but Hermione was leaning forward and setting her cup on the floor. "I have studying to do." And she quickly rose to her feet and exited the room.

"What happened to her?," Ron asked.

"I have a feeling it has something to do with the ball," Harry whispered.

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"Ouch! Ron, that was my foot," Hermione whispered as they slinked up the astronomy tower steps.

"Sorry." The folds of the invisibility cloak were shifting silently around them as they rounded the last bend before the spiral stairs led straight to the balcony of the tower. Hermione stopped short and Ron quickly followed suit.

"Wait here," she said. He nodded and gave her a weak smile.

"Be careful Hermione." Hermione smiled back at him before coming out from beneath the cloak and walking towards the balcony. Only to find a boy with platinum blond hair waiting for her.

"What the hell are you doing here?," she asked. Her voice was so loaded with venom that Draco stepped back in surprise and nearly tumbled over the balcony's landing.

"We need to talk," he said. Hermione growled irritably before looking up at him impatiently.

"You have five minutes." So Draco told her, everything. About the dark lord's plan, about Arabella, about how breaking her heart was the only way to keep her safe...about how he really did love her. And when he had finished all Hermione could do was to stare at him in shock. He blinked a couple times to keep back tears. TEARS! He couldn't believe it, Malfoy's didn't cry. Yet the very thought of her forgiving him had moved him to the verge of tears.

"Please say something," he whispered. Hermione blinked twice before taking a step towards him and gripping his scarred palm in hers.

"I love you." And that was all that was said between them before their lips met in a kiss. Draco felt them now, hot tears spilling from his eyes and down his cheeks. And his tears mixed with hers as they hit the floor. Draco completely surrendered that kiss, the mercy of her forgiveness completely overwhelming her. Hermione was so overjoyed to be in his arms again, she had never seen anyone that genuinely sorry for anything in their lives. Long after their lips had parted their gaze still held strong. It was nearly half an hour later when Hermione leaned her head against his sturdy shoulder and whispered, "What are we going to do?"

"We can't let them see us," he said stroking her scalp gently. "Nobody can know. You have to pretend like you're unforgivably scorned by me."

"And Harry?" she murmured.

"I know I could never live with myself if I had to see you grieving over him every day, so I'm going to betray the dark lord." Hermione's head whipped up off his shoulder.

"What?!"

"Don't ask me how, _please _don't ask me why, but I'm going to do it. I'll save Harry, and you, and hell even the little weasel." Hermione's eyes were a mixture of comfort and alarm at every word. "But I swear to you," he said kissing her forhead lightly "when this is all over, I'll come to you. And if you still want me, we'll be together."

"Still want you?," Hermione asked amused. "How can I resist?" That night Ron left Draco and Hermione up on that astronomy tower, figuring he was intruding on sacred ground. And somewhere in his very soul he wished the best for both of them, though he wasn't sure why. "Why?," Hermione asked Draco.

"Why what?"

"Why are you doing this? Why are you going to put yourself in grave danger when you could easily have a happy life without complications?"

"Because Hermione when I look into your eyes, I feel like you can see something better deep down inside me. And something even more powerful wants to prove it's really there," he whispered.

"Swear to me we'll be together," she asked looking up into his eyes. He looked down at her with his famous smirk and lightly kissed her lips.

"Always."


	21. Epilogue

Epilogue

Disclaimer: My friends, it has been a privilege to write fanfiction about the epic characters from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. I know I joke but in all reality he was her idea, so all rights to her, give her a round of applause. It has been an even greater privilege to get to think of cute ways to say Tom Felton's hot throughout this whole thing. But seriously I don't own him but I think we should give his mother a round of applause for bringing that incredibly sexy boy onto God's green earth.

A/N: Chapter the last. Sorry if this seemed short or a drop ending to anyone, but suddenly the ending just felt right. It has been my great pleasure to have you all read my story and to hear from all of you. So thanks a million you guys. Really.

"Mama!," called twelve year old Scorpious as he ran through the kitchen. "You'll never guess what we learned today!"

"What?," Hermione asked amused.

"We learned about you!"

"Me?," Hermione asked shocked. "They aren't still making you all learn about the head boys and girls of Hogwarts are they?"

"Nooooo, better."

"What's all the commotion?," Draco asked as he walked into the kitchen.

" Hello dear, how was the ministry?," Hermione asked.

"Same as usual, how was teaching Defense against the Dark Arts?" Hermione smiled and winked at him. Hermione had become a professor at Hogwarts and as such she and Draco now had a house in the grounds. Scorpious still lived in the Gryffindor common room like any other kid, but he had the advantage of dropping in to see his parents when something really good happened. "Now what is all the commotion?," Draco asked again.

"Scorpious says he learned about us in school today?," Hermione said raising an eyebrow.

"It's true! We learned about all the great wizarding families that helped take down Voldemort. And they talked about you and Daddy and...well anyways. But you'll never guess what Headmistress McGonagle said about you two!"

"What is it boy for goodness sakes?," Draco asked amused.

"She said you two used to be sworn enemies and that you two absolutely hated each other for the longest time. How funny is that?!" Draco and Hermione looked at each other before shrugging.

"We did." Little Scorpious' jaw dropped as he stared at his parents.

"Then what happened?," he asked amazed. Draco chuckled as he sat down at the table and beckoned for his son to sit in his lap.

"Your mother and I were sworn enemies until our fourth year at Hogwarts as a matter of fact," he said smiling.

"Then what happened?," Scorpious asked again.

"Well we didn't like each other at all you see. She thought I was an arrogant prick, I thought she was a good for nothing bookworm. And then one day...after some very strange events, I looked in your mother's eyes," he said as he glanced up at his wife's eyes for effect. "And everything changed."

The End


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